USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net]: 'Whitey' Bulger was hiding in plain sight

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com News 'Whitey' Bulger was hiding in plain sight 24 Jun 2011, 5:22 am LOS ANGELES — At one point in the FBI's 16-year pursuit of James "Whitey" Bulger, there were sightings of the accused murderer on two continents. AP Fugitive mobster James "Whitey" Bulger is shown in a photo taken shortly before he disappeared in 1995. AP Fugitive mobster James "Whitey" Bulger is shown in a photo taken shortly before he disappeared in 1995. Reports of the whereabouts of Bulger and his longtime girlfriend, Catherine Greig, were so frequent and — often — so wrong that Tom Fuentes, a former FBI assistant director, says Bulger assumed the ubiquitous, mythical existence of Elvis. "He was everywhere," Fuentes says. In the end, Bulger, the iconic Boston crime figure who was the inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film The Departed, was found with Greig not in a far-away locale but in the plain sight of Southern California's thick urban sprawl, living modestly in a Santa Monica apartment as Charles and Carol Gasko. BLOG: Bulger arrest recalls UFC owner's roots BLOG: Bulger arrest hits close for Mitt Romney BLOG: FBI: Tip, relentless pursuit led to Bulger Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said police believed the couple had been living there for years. Their capture late Wednesday came without incident, just two days after the FBI launched a publicity campaign focused on Greig. A tip from that series of public service announcements, which aired in 14 cities, led investigators to the Princess Eugenia apartments, ending one of the most intense manhunts in law enforcement history, Boston FBI chief Richard DesLauriers said Thursday. DesLauriers said federal agents used an undisclosed "ruse" to entice Bulger to leave his apartment. Once outside, Bulger was positively identified and taken into custody. Greig was found inside, where agents recovered tens of thousands of dollars and a cache of weapons. "Although there are those who doubted our resolve at times over the years," DesLauriers said Thursday, "it has never wavered." 'Sweetest couple' blended in Bulger, now 81 and charged with 19 murders, and Greig, 60, charged with harboring a fugitive, appeared in federal court here Thursday afternoon dressed in white jumpsuits. He had a full white beard and wore wire-rim glasses. Looking relaxed, even jovial, Bulger joined a discussion of the pending charges against him, at one point saying to the judge: "I know them all pretty much. Thank you." U.S. Magistrate Judge John McDermott denied bond for both defendants and ordered that they be returned immediately to Boston, where Bulger is accused of operating a vast criminal enterprise known as the Winter Hill Gang. The group, a largely Irish mob, ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets, the indictment said. In 2000, then-U.S. attorney Donald Stern said Bulger and associate Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi were "responsible for a reign of intimidation and murder that spanned 25 years." The FBI says it has linked Bulger to a series of ruthless killings. One victim was shot between the eyes in a parking lot at his Oklahoma country club. Another was gunned down in broad daylight on a South Boston street to silence him from talking about the Oklahoma killing. Prosecutors said Bulger fled in 1995 after being warned by John Connolly Jr., a former Boston FBI agent who had used Bulger as an informant, that he was about to be indicted. Connolly was convicted of racketeering for shielding Bulger and Flemmi. In Santa Monica, Bulger and Greig had shed not only their names but also any apparent link to a criminal past. Montanna Bischoff, 25, a TV associate producer who lives in the same building, knew the friendly couple as "Carol and Charlie." "They were actually one of the sweetest couples I ever met," Bischoff says. "They were just a very sweet older couple. I said to my friend, 'They're so sweet, they could be the building grandparents.' " Bischoff often saw Bulger and Greig walking along Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade. Once, when the couple learned that Bischoff's roommate at the time was going out to buy cold medication, they stopped by later with cough drops and other supplies. She says she saw The Departed and couldn't connect the criminal in that movie with her neighbors. "To find out he's been on the Most Wanted List for murder and is a mobster is almost unreal, actually," she says. The couple seemed to be living a modest but comfortable lifestyle, Bischoff says. "They always looked nice and had fresh haircuts," she says. "They seemed pretty normal — no flashy clothes or jewelry." Mike Cashin, 25, of Marina del Rey, who visits his girlfriend at the three-story apartment building, says he often saw Bulger feeding a stray cat. "He'd wake up early and feed it every morning," putting a bowl of cat food outside the front door, Cashin says. "His girlfriend — we thought she was his wife — they were always outside," Cashin says. "They were always out walking, but you never really saw them talking to other people." Cashin says he knew the couple lived in the building for at least four years because that's how long he has been visiting there. Possibly traveled in Europe "It looks like they were there for quite some time, keeping a low profile," Commissioner Davis tells USA TODAY. "It's an easy place to get lost in.'' The FBI's tactics were wide-ranging: Having Bulger featured on the TV show America's Most Wanted. Contacting plastic surgeons and dentists who might have helped him alter his appearance. After numerous sightings, including one in London in 2002, Davis says it was "assumed that he was overseas," especially after the travel restrictions imposed after the 9/11 attacks. "But he also was somebody who had access to what seemed like an unlimited supply of cash," Davis says. In a February 2009 briefing at the State Department's Foreign Press Center, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Richard Teahan said authorities believed he might be in Europe. "Before Bulger was a fugitive, he enjoyed traveling to Europe," Teahan said then. "He traveled freely there with ease, and it's our belief that there are accounts, both safe deposit boxes and accounts under alias names that we have not found there … Europe was a favorite place for him to travel." Teahan said the FBI was "close" to capturing Bulger around the time of the London sighting. "But, you know, Bulger … planned for life on the run. He had contingency planning in place. He had secreted money in various locations, wouldn't leave a credit trail, utilized cash for everything." You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net]: New Romney PAC exemplifies 2012's steep stakes

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com News New Romney PAC exemplifies 2012's steep stakes 24 Jun 2011, 6:32 am WASHINGTON — Several prominent supporters of Mitt Romney on Thursday announced a new group that will spend unlimited sums of money to help the Republican's presidential campaign — a sign of the escalating fundraising battles ahead of the 2012 election. By John Moore, Getty Images Mitt Romney, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, greets supporters at the Brewery Bar IV on Monday in Aurora, Colo. By John Moore, Getty Images Mitt Romney, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, greets supporters at the Brewery Bar IV on Monday in Aurora, Colo. Restore Our Future political action committee is the latest in a string of Super PACs formed in recent months to capitalize on court rulings that have eased restrictions on corporate spending in elections. A similar group was formed this year by former aides to President Obama. Under federal rules, Super PACs must operate independently of candidates. "They are creating as many pockets as possible for people to put money in," said Meredith McGehee of the Campaign Legal Center, a campaign watchdog group. She called the pro-Romney group "a shadow campaign created by his political operatives and cronies." In a statement, Charlie Spies, the group's treasurer, said Obama "has failed to fix the problems that affect Americans" and said Romney "understands the economy." Spies served as Romney's top lawyer in the Republican's 2008 failed presidential bid. Other board members include political consultant Carl Forti, who has served as political director of American Crossroads, an independent group founded with help from Karl Rove, a top political strategist for George W. Bush. Crossroads and a sister group spent heavily to help Republicans gain control of the House of Representatives in 2010 and have pledged to raise $120 million to influence next year's presidential and congressional races. Brittany Gross, a Restore Our Future spokeswoman, said "both sides are engaging" in outside spending. "We have to find a way to level the playing field." Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said the PAC's creation made sense, given expectations that Obama could raise as much as $1 billion for his re-election. "We are pleased that independent groups will be active in fighting this entrenched power," she said in a statement. Democratic outside groups formed this year include Priorities USA Action and a sister organization co-founded by Bill Burton, a former Obama spokesman. Last month, it produced an anti-Romney commercial, its first of the campaign. Other Democratic groups include American Bridge 21st Century, whose top staff includes former aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Chris Harris, the group's spokesman, said the Democratic groups were formed to respond to the 2010 election gains made by Republicans. "Democrats of all stripes realized we need to get up and fight," Harris said. Nathaniel Persily, an election law expert at Columbia University, said the spread of outside groups reflects a changing legal climate. But, he said, "it's not clear that the advent of all these new PACs means more money will be spent. It will just be spent in a different form." You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

Game On - USATODAY.com [expanded by...: NBA Draft live blog: Irving goes No. 1; foreign players dominate early

Game On - USATODAY.com [expanded by feedex.net] Game On - USATODAY.com NBA Draft live blog: Irving goes No. 1; foreign players dominate early 24 Jun 2011, 4:37 am USA TODAY blogged the NBA Draft. The first round began with Cleveland taking Kyrie Irving of Duke and ended with Chicago grabbing Marquette's Jimmy Butler. You can go to nba.usatoday.com for all your news and picks for both rounds of the draft. Let us know what you thought of the picks. The first round: No. 1 Kyrie Irving, Cleveland; No.2 Derrick Williams, Minnesota; No. 3 Enes Kanter, Utah; No. 4 Tristan Thompson, Cleveland; No. 5 Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto; No. 6 Jan Vesely, Washington; No. 7 Bismack Biyombo, Sacramento (for Charlotte); No. 8 Brandon Knight, Detroit; No. 9 Kemba Walker, Charlotte; No. 10 Jimmer Fredette, Milwaukee (for Sacramento); No. 11 Klay Thompson, Golden State; No. 12: Alec Burks, Utah; No. 13: Markieff Morris, Phoenix; No. 14: Marcus Morris, Houston; No. 15: Kawhi Leonard, Indiana; No. 16: Nikola Vucevic, Philadelphia; No. 17: Iman Shumpert, New York; No. 18, Chris Singleton, Washington; No. 19: Tobias Harris, Charlotte (picking for Milwaukee); No. 20: Donatas Motiejunas, Minnesota; No. 21: Nolan Smith, Portland; No. 22: Kenneth Faried, Denver; No. 23: Nikola Mirotic, Montenegro; No. 24: Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City; No. 25: Marshon Brooks, Boston; No. 26: Jordan Hamilton, Dallas; No. 27: JuJuan Johnson, New Jersey; No. 28: Norris Cole, Chicago (expected to trade him to Minnesota for Motiejunas; Minnesota is then expected to ship him to Miami for Bojan Bogdanovic); No. 29: Cory Joseph, San Antonio; No. 30: Jimmy Butler, Chicago. 11:03: We leave you now but ask that you tell us whether your team filled their needs and whether this was a weak draft like all the experts told us it would be. Of course we might just want to watch these guys play before we make a decision. 10:58: Kobe Bryant has gotten a new point guard as the Lakers take Michigan's Darius Morris who is 6-5. Not a great shooter but that is not what the Lakers needed is it? He's an LA product so there is that. 10:51: Jeremy Tyler, who skipped his senior year of high school to go overseas, is picked No. 39 by Charlotte. He had a disastrous year in Israel but most recently played in Tokyo. He is 6-11, 262 pounds, however. Now we learn he's going to Golden State. 10:38: The Wizards take Shelvin Mack. We were wondering when the Butler star would go and it was 34th (second round) to Washington. Bravo. Now if we can just get Matt Howard taken. 10:32: The Cavaliers take 6-9 Justin Harper of Richmond in the second round. We are mentioning that because not only is he from a non-BCS school but is a senior. That combination is almost unheard of in this draft. The Pistons with the 33rd pick take Kyle Singler from Duke. He follows teammates Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith who were first round picks. 10:26: Norris Cole, the 28th overall pick is going to Miami for the 31st pick and a second round pick to Minnesota. The Heat get a point guard and pick Bojan Bogdanovic. 10:22: The Bulls end the first round by picking forward Jimmy Butler, Marquette at No. 30. 10:17: San Antonio takes Cory Joseph of Texas with the No. 29 pick. He may now be the heir apparent to Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili if George Hill is traded as rumored. 10:12: The Bulls select guard Norris Cole of Cleveland State at No. 28. They will trade the pick to Minnesota for Motiejunas according to Andy Katz of ESPN. Is there a team with more guards than the Timberwolves. Interesting. 10:07: The Nets do indeed pick JuJuan Johnson. Now we'll see if the 6-10 forward is headed to Boston for Marshon Brooks and a second round pick. 10:05: ESPN's Andy Katz has New Jersey picking Purdue's JaJuan Johnson and trading him to Boston for the just picked Marshon Brooks. 10:04: With the 26th pick the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks select Jordan Hamilton of Texas. At 6-7 could play small forward or shooting guard. Some thought he would go much higher than this. 9:58: The Boston Celtics grab Marshon Brooks of Providence with the 25th pick. A little bit of surprise because the Celtics seemed to need a big man. However, he's a great scorer, maybe the best scorer in the draft after Fredette. And who can't use a 6-5 guard who can shoot the lights out? 9:53: Oklahoma City takes Reggie Jackson of Boston College with the No. 24 pick. A scoring guard with a 7-foot wing span. He seemed to get promised to Oklahoma City and refused to workout with a lot of teams. He brings the dreaded label of a tough guy to coach. 9:47: The Rockets take Nikola Mirotic of Montenegro with the No. 23 pick. He'll probably stay out of the USA for at least a few years according to ESPN's Fran Fraschilla. 9:41: With the No. 22 pick, Denver drafts Kenneth Faried from Morehead State. He is the best pure rebounder in the draft. He just goes and gets the ball. Coach George Karl has to feel like its his birthday and he might be sending thank you notes to all the teams that didn't take this guy and let him fall down to the Nuggets. 9:33: Portland takes Nolan Smith at No. 21. So much for my prediction of San Antonio later in the draft. But I'm putting him down as a steal at No. 21. He's smart, he's a two-way player and he's more talented than most people believe. He's also got the bloodlines with his late father Derrick, a star at Louisville. Portland fans can only hope that this time the draft pick stays healthy. The ghosts of Sam Bowie, Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and Bill Walton are still haunting fans. 9:28: Minnesota selects Donatas Motiejunas, a 7-footer from Lithuania No. 20. The 'Wolves, a young team last year, getting even younger with Ricky Rubio, Derrick Williams and Motiejunas. It also appears that the Kawhi Leonard is moving from Indiana to San Antonio for guard George Hill. How about Duke's Nolan Smith going to Spurs later (No. 29) as the backup to Tony Parker now that Hill is gone? 9:24: At No. 19 Charlotte takes Tennessee's Tobias Harris. They were picking for Milwaukee after the trade. 9:18: The Wizards take 6-9 Chris Singleton of Florida State at No. 18. A defender. Sometime Washington needed. Not a scorer. There seems to be a run on guys who can rebound and defend but can't put the ball in the basket. Nice to see the other side getting some love. Florida State was one of the best defensive teams in the nation last year. Singleton's selection also cleared the green room. The ghost of Rashard Lewis is gone. 9:10: The Knicks select at No.17 and take Iman Shumpert of Georgia Tech. The crowd in New Jersey does not take it well. Bilas likes him as a defender and his 40 inch vertical jump. That still probably won't excite the fans at the Garden. Perhaps that will change when they see him play. Bilas calls it "an interesting pick." Said Spike Lee: "I never heard of Landry Fields either until we picked him." 9:05: With the No. 16 pick the Philadelphia 7ers take Nikola Vucevic, from USC. 9:00: The Indiana Pacers take Kawhi Leonard from San Diego State at No. 15. Wingspan of a guy 7-3 even though he's 6-7. He'll give you great defense and rebounding. Scoring will have to improve. The size of his hands are freakish. It is nice to have X-Men features when you are a rebounder.8:54: Brother to brother. The Rockets take Kansas' Marcus Morris at No. 14. He looks an awful like the guy the Suns just took. Twins that are five minutes apart (in the draft anyway). Rock, chalk, Jayhawk my friends. Markieff's turn to cry. It is nice when you are a forward and your coach (Kevin McHale) was one of the greatest forwards of all-time.8:46: At No. 13 the Suns select Markieff Morris of Kansas. His twin brother Marcus was projected ahead of him but of course that is the beauty of the draft. Marcus sheds some tears of joy after his brother was named. Markieff will be a guy that gives the Suns some muscle under the boards. The sound you hear is Steve Nash clapping. The Suns like twins since they took Robin Lopez a few years ago. 8:41: With the 12th pick the Jazz select Alec Burks from Colorado. 8:35: Golden State takes Klay Thompson. His dad Mychal was the No. 1 pick in the 1978 draft. 8:30: The Bucks take Jimmer Fredette with the No. 10 pick. Let the Jimmermania begin in Sacramento who Milwaukee picked for after the trade. Everybody will talk about him not being able to play defense. But this guy is a flat out scorer and that is nothing to sneeze at. And for a guy who use to visit prisons to play I don't want to hear about how they might try to rough him up in the NBA. Guys who are serving 10-20 are tougher than guys with five-year contracts. 8:21: With the No. 9 pick the Bobcats take Kemba Walker from UConn. Okay, it turns out MJ likes guys who are winners. 8:17: The Pistons, hoping to start a rebuilding project, take Brandon Knight of Kentucky. Finally a guy we've seen play. Detroit is planning to build from the guard up. Worked with Isiah Thomas. Played one season with the Wildcats proving that the NBA loves guys who play as little in college as possible. If you combine the first eight picks they barely played two seasons combined in college. Kentucky coach John Calipari believes the longer a player stays the more holes scouts find in their game. That seems to be proven out year after year. 8:10: The Kings (picking for Charlotte after the trade) take with the seventh pick 6-foot-9 Bismack Biyombo of the Congo. That makes four of the 7 picks in the draft being foreign players. I speak for ESPN's Dick Vitale who asks every year whether NBA scouts have ever seen a college game? Biyombo speaks for himself since he's fluent in six languages. Fraschilla says "he can not score" but he loves him as a defensive player. "High risk, high reward." Hopefully, Charlotte owner Michael Jordan feels the same way. Detroit is now on the clock. 8:07: The Wizards at No. 6 select Jan Vesely of the Czech Republic. Washington gets some height in the 6-11 Vesely who is being compared to Tom Chambers. If you saw the kiss the pick got you would understand what Fran Fraschilla meant when he said he had great taste in women. The Kings are now on the clock picking for Charlotte after the trade. 8:02: The Raptors select Jonas Valanciunas of Lithuania. The 6-11 center is 19 years old and may stay overseas for another season before coming to the NBA. He's being compared to Pau Gasol and Chris Bosh. We happen to love the Lakers and Heat forwards so we'll make no snide. My hometown Washington Wizards on the clock and we may get to see that suit Bilas talked about. 7:55: With the 4th pick the Cavaliers take Tristan Thompson of Texas. A bit of a shock here. The 6-8 forward was expected to go a few slots down. Thompson and Irving are now in Cleveland and hopefully can get Cavs fans off their LeBron hate bandwagon and start dreaming of wins. Owner Dan Gilbert promised a title before the Heat and so it has to start with Thompson and Irving. The Raptors are now on the clock. 7:50: The Utah Jazz select Enes Kanter from Turkey. The draftniks are now 3-for-3. Irving played 11 games for Duke which was 11 more than Kanter played for Kentucky after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA. Kanter said he's dedicating his rookie season to Kentucky. The Cavaliers are back on the clock. This is where teams could deviate from the script. 7:48: So far there have been major fashion statements made as in year's past. Both Irving and Williams wore dark suits. Very fashionable but a long way from Jalen Rose's red pinstripes. Maybe Kawhi Leonard will rise to the challenge. 7:44: With the No. 2 pick the Timberwolves take Derrick Williams of Arizona. So far the draft is going to form. Ironic though that the guy who knocked Duke out of the NCAA tournament went after the Blue Devil who came back from injury to play in the tournament. The Utah Jazz are now on the clock. 7:38: The Cleveland Cavaliers select Kyrie Irving. Nobody in the country is shocked right now. The Duke point guard played 11 games averaging 17.5 points and 4.3 assists. Previous overall No.1s in Cleveland: Austin Carr, Brad Daugherty and LeBron James. The Cavaliers also have the No. 4 pick. Minnesota is now on the clock and expected to take Arizona's Derrick Williams. 7:34: David Stern walks out to the podium to some scattered boos. But turns them into cheers by asking for a hand for New Jersey. That is why he's the smartest man in the building. 7:17: Bilas' top five on his board: Irving, Derrick Williams, Enes Kanter, Kemba Walker and Brandon Knight. He's got Jimmer Fredette at No. 13. Jon Barry hints that Minnesota is very interested in Kanter at No. 2 instead of Williams. That would throw the draft into a bit of chaos. 7:10: Analysts have been saying for two weeks that this draft doesn't have a lot of great players but does have a lot of good players. If I had that type of crystal ball I'd be buying stocks and living at the racetrack. Shouldn't we wait to see these guys play before we judge their greatness? 7:08: Ric Bucher says there is a deal with Stephen Jackson going to Milwaukee with Charlotte getting the No. 7 pick and Sacramento getting the No. 10 pick. The Bucks will get the 19th pick. Click here for all the details. 6:54: We would like to see ESPN analyst Jay Bilas at an open mike night. Here's an early draft tweet from him: Kahwi Leonard's suit is an homage to Thurston Howell III, rivaled only by Craig Sager's blue velour sport coat. Is Nixon still President? 6:15: Everyone and their mom has Duke point guard Kyrie Irving going in this spot. The draft gets fascinating quickly if they don't pick him. Minnesota choosing next wants anything but a point guard with Jonny Flynn already on the roster and Ricky Rubio having just got into town from Spain. See photos of: Derrick Williams, Kemba Walker, Brandon Knight, Jimmer Fredette, Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor . For publication consideration in the newspaper, sendto . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to . 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USATODAY.com Nation News [expanded by...: Fried Kool-Aid? It joins the list of summer sizzlers

USATODAY.com Nation News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com Nation News Fried Kool-Aid? It joins the list of summer sizzlers 24 Jun 2011, 1:52 am Fried Kool-Aid is the newest of favored fried foods for sale at state fairs this summer, but maybe the usual fried "Zucchini Weeni," a hot dog wrapped in zucchini and dipped in batter, is more your speed. By Gregory Bull, AP Bennett Perry of San Diego bites into a fried Kool-Aid ball at the County Fair in Del Mar, Calif. The crispy balls with their red-hot insides are a big seller. By Gregory Bull, AP Bennett Perry of San Diego bites into a fried Kool-Aid ball at the County Fair in Del Mar, Calif. The crispy balls with their red-hot insides are a big seller. At the San Diego County Fair, where fried Kool-Aid made its debut June 10, entrepreneur "Chicken" Charlie Boghosian, 42, tries to come up with new and unusual fried foods to add to his menu every year. To make the newest treat, Boghosian creates a thick batter with Kool-Aid drink powder and uses an ice cream scoop to drop balls of the mix into the fryer. An order of six or seven costs $5.95. "Quite a few people wanted me to tell them the exact recipe, but I won't tell," Boghosian says. "I have not heard anyone who has tried it and hasn't loved it. It tastes just like the drink, only you are eating it." Boghosian is one of many entrepreneurs frying up unusual things. •The Minnesota State Fair has deep-fried spaghetti and meatballs, bacon cheddar mashed potatoes and bologna, all on a stick. •Spam's online recipe exchange has a suggestions for ways to eat fried Spam. •Legoland sells fried granny smith apples called "Granny's Apple Fries." •Deep-fried lattes, colas, peanut butter, beer and even deep-fried butter have won awards at the Texas State Fair's Big Tex Choice Awards. "It's not the most healthy thing for you, but people have come to expect fun food at fairs and fun food is fried food," says Mark Zable, who calls himself the "inventor of fried beer." Zable, 40, of Plano, Texas, fills pretzel dough with liquid beer and deep fries it. "Fried Kool-Aid is Kool-Aid-flavored dough balls," he says. "If I was going to fry a liquid, I actually wanted it to be a liquid." Whatever the technique, Boghosian knows the deep-fry approach sells. "The first thing I invented was the deep-fried Oreo cookie," he says. "I have sold over 2 million cookies since that time. … We have sold over 500 pounds of Kool-Aid mix and thousands of pounds of flour." For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, sendto letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more. Advertisement Most Popular E-mail Newsletter Sign up to get: Top viewed stories, photo galleries and community posts of the day Most popular right now: You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

USATODAY.com Nation News [expanded by...: N.Y. gay marriage fight gets ugly; long night ahead

USATODAY.com Nation News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com Nation News N.Y. gay marriage fight gets ugly; long night ahead 23 Jun 2011, 11:58 pm N.Y. Senate doesn't take up gay marriage bill ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's Republican Senate again failed to take up Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's bill to legalize gay marriage after another marathon session Thursday and protests by hundreds of demonstrators. Negotiations have dragged on for two weeks over what could be a pivotal moment in the national gay rights movement. Gay rights supporters have secured legal marriage status for same-sex couples in Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa and the District of Columbia, and are hoping a gain in New York will give them greater momentum. Thursday, Senate leader Dean Skelos abruptly ended the session just before 11 p.m. for the "health of the members," who were awaiting the printing of bills not expected until after 4 a.m. When lawmakers return Friday, they still face several other bills before they can consider making New York the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Democrats weren't happy with the pace. "This isn't stalling, it's a complete work stoppage by the Senate Republicans," said Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Democratic minority that supports gay marriage. The bill has passed in the Assembly but several amendments have been proposed since then to better protect religious groups from discrimination lawsuits and to entice Republican senators to send the bill to the full Senate for a vote. Of those places where gay marriage is legal, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., are the only ones that don't allow at least limited religious exemptions. Skelos, who opposes gay marriage, has said his Republican caucus will have to meet behind closed doors to decide whether to move the bill to the floor or kill it. Republican Sen. Greg Ball of Putnam County said Thursday he believes the GOP conference will pass the gay marriage bill, but not with his vote. Ball had once been publicly undecided and used that time to push for additional protections for religious groups. "Knowing that marriage equality was likely to pass, I thought it important to force the issue of religious protections," Ball said. But he said not enough protections were being added to the bill. In the Capitol building, supporters and opponents have peacefully coexisted with occasional outbursts since last week, singing hymns like "This Little Light of Mine," or "Amazing Grace." "The tension is always high because you have people yelling at you back and forth," Tonja Alvis, a gay marriage supporter from Albany, said Thursday. "It's like a rally at a football game." The two opposing groups, kept segregated by state troopers, largely stayed on opposite sides of the hallways. Meanwhile, Skelos, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan and at least one other lawmaker said they have been besieged by offensive posts, forcing them to curtail. Dolan has blogged that he loves gay people who want to get married but still ardently opposes gay marriage. The church says Dolan's been one of the targets of cyber abuse and vulgarities prompted the banning of someers on the Catholic church's Facebook and Twitter pages. Skelos also has closed down theon his Facebook page after supporters used vulgarities and posted the home addresses of senators opposed to gay marriage. Democratic Sen. Diane Savino of Staten Island, who supports gay marriage, said she, too, had had an onslaught of offensive postings by opponents of same-sex marriage. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

USATODAY.com Nation News [expanded by...: 'Whitey' Bulger was hiding in plain sight

USATODAY.com Nation News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com Nation News 'Whitey' Bulger was hiding in plain sight 24 Jun 2011, 5:22 am 'Whitey' Bulger was hiding in plain sight By William M. Welch, Kevin Johnson, and Melanie Eversley LOS ANGELES — At one point in the FBI's 16-year pursuit of James "Whitey" Bulger, there were sightings of the accused murderer on two continents. Reports of the whereabouts of Bulger and his longtime girlfriend, Catherine Greig, were so frequent and — often — so wrong that Tom Fuentes, a former FBI assistant director, says Bulger assumed the ubiquitous, mythical existence of Elvis. "He was everywhere," Fuentes says. In the end, Bulger, the iconic Boston crime figure who was the inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film The Departed, was found with Greig not in a far-away locale but in the plain sight of Southern California's thick urban sprawl, living modestly in a Santa Monica apartment as Charles and Carol Gasko. BLOG: Bulger arrest recalls UFC owner's roots BLOG: Bulger arrest hits close for Mitt Romney BLOG: FBI: Tip, relentless pursuit led to Bulger Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said police believed the couple had been living there for years. Their capture late Wednesday came without incident, just two days after the FBI launched a publicity campaign focused on Greig. A tip from that series of public service announcements, which aired in 14 cities, led investigators to the Princess Eugenia apartments, ending one of the most intense manhunts in law enforcement history, Boston FBI chief Richard DesLauriers said Thursday. DesLauriers said federal agents used an undisclosed "ruse" to entice Bulger to leave his apartment. Once outside, Bulger was positively identified and taken into custody. Greig was found inside, where agents recovered tens of thousands of dollars and a cache of weapons. "Although there are those who doubted our resolve at times over the years," DesLauriers said Thursday, "it has never wavered." 'Sweetest couple' blended in Bulger, now 81 and charged with 19 murders, and Greig, 60, charged with harboring a fugitive, appeared in federal court here Thursday afternoon dressed in white jumpsuits. He had a full white beard and wore wire-rim glasses. Looking relaxed, even jovial, Bulger joined a discussion of the pending charges against him, at one point saying to the judge: "I know them all pretty much. Thank you." U.S. Magistrate Judge John McDermott denied bond for both defendants and ordered that they be returned immediately to Boston, where Bulger is accused of operating a vast criminal enterprise known as the Winter Hill Gang. The group, a largely Irish mob, ran loan-sharking, gambling and drug rackets, the indictment said. In 2000, then-U.S. attorney Donald Stern said Bulger and associate Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi were "responsible for a reign of intimidation and murder that spanned 25 years." The FBI says it has linked Bulger to a series of ruthless killings. One victim was shot between the eyes in a parking lot at his Oklahoma country club. Another was gunned down in broad daylight on a South Boston street to silence him from talking about the Oklahoma killing. Prosecutors said Bulger fled in 1995 after being warned by John Connolly Jr., a former Boston FBI agent who had used Bulger as an informant, that he was about to be indicted. Connolly was convicted of racketeering for shielding Bulger and Flemmi. In Santa Monica, Bulger and Greig had shed not only their names but also any apparent link to a criminal past. Montanna Bischoff, 25, a TV associate producer who lives in the same building, knew the friendly couple as "Carol and Charlie." "They were actually one of the sweetest couples I ever met," Bischoff says. "They were just a very sweet older couple. I said to my friend, 'They're so sweet, they could be the building grandparents.' " Bischoff often saw Bulger and Greig walking along Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade. Once, when the couple learned that Bischoff's roommate at the time was going out to buy cold medication, they stopped by later with cough drops and other supplies. She says she saw The Departed and couldn't connect the criminal in that movie with her neighbors. "To find out he's been on the Most Wanted List for murder and is a mobster is almost unreal, actually," she says. The couple seemed to be living a modest but comfortable lifestyle, Bischoff says. "They always looked nice and had fresh haircuts," she says. "They seemed pretty normal — no flashy clothes or jewelry." Mike Cashin, 25, of Marina del Rey, who visits his girlfriend at the three-story apartment building, says he often saw Bulger feeding a stray cat. "He'd wake up early and feed it every morning," putting a bowl of cat food outside the front door, Cashin says. "His girlfriend — we thought she was his wife — they were always outside," Cashin says. "They were always out walking, but you never really saw them talking to other people." Cashin says he knew the couple lived in the building for at least four years because that's how long he has been visiting there. Possibly traveled in Europe "It looks like they were there for quite some time, keeping a low profile," Commissioner Davis tells USA TODAY. "It's an easy place to get lost in.'' The FBI's tactics were wide-ranging: Having Bulger featured on the TV show America's Most Wanted. Contacting plastic surgeons and dentists who might have helped him alter his appearance. After numerous sightings, including one in London in 2002, Davis says it was "assumed that he was overseas," especially after the travel restrictions imposed after the 9/11 attacks. "But he also was somebody who had access to what seemed like an unlimited supply of cash," Davis says. In a February 2009 briefing at the State Department's Foreign Press Center, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Richard Teahan said authorities believed he might be in Europe. "Before Bulger was a fugitive, he enjoyed traveling to Europe," Teahan said then. "He traveled freely there with ease, and it's our belief that there are accounts, both safe deposit boxes and accounts under alias names that we have not found there … Europe was a favorite place for him to travel." Teahan said the FBI was "close" to capturing Bulger around the time of the London sighting. "But, you know, Bulger … planned for life on the run. He had contingency planning in place. He had secreted money in various locations, wouldn't leave a credit trail, utilized cash for everything." We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

On Deadline - USATODAY.com [expanded by...: Abandoned pup first to get 4 bionic paws

On Deadline - USATODAY.com [expanded by feedex.net] On Deadline - USATODAY.com Abandoned pup first to get 4 bionic paws 24 Jun 2011, 1:03 am Here's another amazing story about the convergence of veterinary medicine, technology and pet care: A pup who lost his paws to frostbite after being abandoned in winter by Nebraskans fleeing their foreclosed home has become the first dog to receive four prosthetic paws, according a report by Incredible Features that is getting some notice. The bionic legs allow Naki'o, a red heeler, to run, jump and swim. The pioneering prosthetics were designed and fitted by Martin Kaufmann, founder of Orthopets, in Denver. Read the heart-breaking, heart-warming saga of Naki'o here. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor . For publication consideration in the newspaper, sendto . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to . You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net]: Potato chips worst culprit for weight gain

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com News Potato chips worst culprit for weight gain 23 Jun 2011, 10:24 pm Blame the potato chip. It's the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. Bigger than soda, candy and ice cream. Matt Rourke, AP The potato chip is the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. Matt Rourke, AP The potato chip is the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. And the reason is partly that old advertising cliche: You can't eat just one. "They're very tasty and they have a very good texture. People generally don't take one or two chips. They have a whole bag," said obesity expert Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer of the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York. What we eat and how much of it we consume has far more impact than exercise and most other habits do on long-term weight gain, according to the study by Harvard University scientists. It's the most comprehensive look yet at the effect of individual foods and lifestyle choices like sleep time and quitting smoking. The results are in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. Weight problems are epidemic. Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past three decades. Pounds often are packed on gradually over decades, and many people struggle to limit weight gain without realizing what's causing it. The new study finds food choices are key. The message: Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Cut back on potatoes, red meat, sweets and soda. "There is no magic bullet for weight control," said one study leader, Dr. Frank Hu. "Diet and exercise are important for preventing weight gain, but diet clearly plays a bigger role." Doctors analyzed changes in diet and lifestyle habits of 120,877 people from three long-running medical studies. All were health professionals and not obese at the start. Their weight was measured every four years for up to two decades, and they detailed their diet on questionnaires. On average, participants gained nearly 17 pounds over the 20-year period. For each four-year period, food choices contributed nearly 4 pounds. Exercise, for those who did it, cut less than 2 pounds. Potato chips were the biggest dietary offender. Each daily serving containing 1 ounce (about 15 chips and 160 calories) led to a 1.69-pound uptick over four years. That's compared to sweets and desserts, which added 0.41 pound. For starchy potatoes other than chips, the gain was 1.28 pounds. Within the spud group, french fries were worse for the waist than boiled, baked or mashed potatoes. That's because a serving of large fries contains between 500 to 600 calories compared with a serving of a large baked potato at 280 calories. Soda added a pound over four years. Eating more fruits and vegetables and other unprocessed foods led to less weight gain, probably because they are fiber-rich and make people feel fuller. For each four-year period, these factors had these effects on weight: — An alcoholic drink a day, 0.41-pound increase. — Watching an hour of TV a day, 0.31-pound increase. — Recently quitting smoking, 5-pound increase. People who slept more or less than six to eight hours a night gained more weight. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and a foundation. Several researchers reported receiving fees from drug and nutrition companies. "Humans naturally like fat and sweet," said Dr. David Heber, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, who had no role in the study. "That's why we always tell people to eat their fruits and vegetables." Pi-Sunyer, who also wasn't involved in the research, said the study gives useful advice. "It's hard to lose weight once you gain it," he said. "Anything that will give people a clue about what might prevent weight gain if they follow through with it is helpful." The federal government earlier this year issued new dietary guidelines advising people to eat smarter. This month, it ditched the food pyramid — the longtime symbol of healthy eating — in favor of a dinner plate divided into four sections containing fruits, vegetables, protein and grains. ——— Online: New England Journal of Medicine: http://www.nejm.org ——— Alicia Chang can be followed at: http://twitter.com/SciWriAlicia Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For more information about , visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor . For publication consideration in the newspaper, sendto . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net]: Military leaders: Drawdown plan aggressive

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com News Military leaders: Drawdown plan aggressive 24 Jun 2011, 3:14 am Military leaders: Drawdown plan aggressive By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY President Obama's own military commanders said Thursday that his plan for a drawdown of troops went beyond what they had recommended but will still be able to achieve U.S. goals for a stable Afghanistan. Critics however say the drawdown risks reversing hard-won gains against the Taliban. "The president's decisions are more aggressive and incur more risk than I was originally prepared to accept," Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee. "More force for more time is, without doubt, the safer course," he said. "But that does not necessarily make it the best course. Only the president … can really determine the acceptable level of risk we must take. " Gen. David Petraeus, who leads allied forces in Afghanistan, also said Obama's plan was more aggressive than he recommended. STORY: Obama touts progress, orders drawdown "The ultimate decision was a more aggressive formulation … in terms of the timeline than what we had recommended," Petraeus said in remarks at hearings to consider his nomination to head the CIA. However, Petraeus said the military would "salute smartly" and "do everything humanly possible" to execute the plan. Some military analysts said the pace of the reductions will put at risk a strategy that seeks to consolidate security gains in the south and shift the main effort to the east, a forbidding mountain region that has been a stronghold of the Haqqani network, an insurgent group linked to al-Qaeda. The president proposed a faster drawdown than "most people expected," said Seth Jones, an analyst at RAND Corp. who has served in Afghanistan as a civilian adviser. Obama's plan is to withdraw 10,000 U.S. troops this year and an additional 23,000 by September 2012, equal to the number of additional forces Obama ordered into Afghanistan in December 2009. That would leave about 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said military leaders wanted troops to remain through the end of 2012 to finish off the fighting season and give them the best chance to debilitate the Taliban. Some analysts are particularly troubled by that part of the plan. "It's not the ideal time to take forces out," Jones said. By choosing an option for a faster reduction, Obama is reversing the strategy he had earlier agreed to, said Danielle Pletka, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. The Pentagon has said Afghan security forces have been growing in size and quality and will increasingly take over operations from U.S. troops. The number of Afghan security forces is 290,000, and the Pentagon says they are better trained, organized and equipped than in the past. Jones said the strategy is a "risk." John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, said the timing of the drawdown deadline in 2012, in the homestretch of the presidential campaign, is "another piece of evidence of how political the whole procedure was." The drawdown is to be completed two months before the November election. Supporters of the plan point out that commanders are always pushing for more troops and the president must consider a range of factors in making a determination about force levels. "This doesn't represent collapse and catastrophe," said Stephen Biddle, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations. "Were still leaving 68,000 troops there." Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net]: Arizona death may be linked to European E. coli

USATODAY.com News [expanded by feedex.net] USATODAY.com News Arizona death may be linked to European E. coli 23 Jun 2011, 9:05 pm The death of an Arizona man who recently visited Germany may be linked to the food-poisoning outbreak in Europe, health officials said Thursday. Gero Breloer, AP Investigators have determined that locally grown vegetable sprouts are the cause of the European E. coli outbreak. Gero Breloer, AP Investigators have determined that locally grown vegetable sprouts are the cause of the European E. coli outbreak. The man, who died in mid-June, developed a serious E. coli complication that can lead to kidney failure. But officials don't know yet if he was sickened by the same bacteria strain that has hit thousands in Europe, mostly in Germany. If confirmed, it would be the first U.S. death and sixth case tied to the outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials said the man was over 65 and lived in northern Arizona, but released few other details. His recent trip to Germany — coupled with the kidney complication — sparked suspicion the case was linked to the European illnesses, said Catherine Foley, an epidemiologist with the Arizona Department of Health Services. So far, there have been five confirmed cases in the United States— two in Michigan and one in Massachusetts, Wisconsin and North Carolina. All but one had recently been to Germany. One Michigan case apparently caught the illness from the other, a relative. Arizona officials are not aware of anyone being infected from close contact with the deceased man, Foley said. Officials have traced the outbreak to raw vegetable sprouts from a farm in northern Germany. Nearly 3,700 have been reported ill in Germany, including more than 800 with the kidney complication. There have been 42 deaths reported in Germany and one in Sweden. No confirmed cases have been seen in U.S. military personnel or their dependents that are stationed in Germany, CDC officials said. Nor have there been an increase in visits due to gastrointestinal illness at U.S. military medical facilities in Europe. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For more information about , visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor . For publication consideration in the newspaper, sendto . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.

Game On - USATODAY.com [expanded by...: Wimbledon blog: Isner ousted; Ryan Harrison leads, Federer cruises

Game On - USATODAY.com [expanded by feedex.net] Game On - USATODAY.com Wimbledon blog: Isner ousted; Ryan Harrison leads, Federer cruises 23 Jun 2011, 9:58 pm We'll live-blog Day 4 of the tennis from Wimbledon. (Broadcast on ESPN2.) FOLLOW:  Wimbledon men's scoreboard FOLLOW:  Wimbledon women's scoreboard 4:21: Roger Federer closes out Mannarino, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, and that closes out today's live blog as well. 4:10: Almagro gets into an 0-30 ditch, but roars back with four straight points to win the match and oust Isner. Almagro fires off aces for the final two points. 4:06: Isner gets back to within 5-3, finishing off the game with a pair of aces. Almagro is serving for the match. 4:03: The Ryan Harrison-David Ferrer match has been halted because of darkness. so the 19-year-old will have all night to think about the upset. He's up a set, 2-1. Isner and Almagro are playing on, however. The Spaniard leads the fourth set 5-2, and will get a chance to close it out tonight. 3:54: Federer goes up two sets on Mannarino and looks unstoppable today. Ryan Harrison is down a break in the fourth set to Ferrer, 3-1. The teenager probably would be at a disadvantage if it goes to five sets against the veteran, who's ranked No. 6 in the world. 3:48: No. 12 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France put on a nice show in a 4-set victory against Grigor Dimitrov that lasted 3:35. Tsonga had 19 aces off a serve that hit 134 mph and improved his career record on Wimbledon's lawns to 10-3. 3:41: Isner fires an untouchable serve and wins the third-set tie-breaker 7-5. He's back within 2-1 on sets. 3:39: Almagro gets both his points on serve, and gets to within 4-3 in the tie-breaker with Isner. 3:37: Isner goes up 4-1 in the tie-break. He Launched a bomb for an ace for his third point. 3:34: John Isner is headed for a third tie-breaker with Almagro. Isner is up 6-5 in the third, with Almagro up two sets. Isner has hit 138 mph on the radar gun today, but has yet to have a break point. 3:30: Federer is cruising against Mannarino, winning the first set 6-2 and leading the Frenchman 3-0 in the second. 3:24: Ryan Harrison holds serve and claims the third set from Ferrer at 6-4. The teen goes up 2-1 against the No. 7-seeded Spaniard. 3:18: The 19-year-old is rolling again, as Ryan Harrison goes up a break on David Ferrer in the third set, 4-2. The Isner-Almagro match is finally back under way, the last to resume after the latest rain delay. 3:11: Roger Federer is on Centre Court against Adrian Mannarino. This is the first time the left-hander from France has reached the second round at Wimbledon.The rain has stopped, but play hasn't resumed on all courts. 2:59: Ryan Harrison and David Ferrer are back on court, Ferrer up 2-1 after splitting the first two sets. John Isner is up against it, down two sets to Nicolas Almagro, and tied 3-3 in the third. 2:45: Lisicki's upset of Li Na is all the more impressive in light of the physical problems she has had to overcome. She's had issues with both shoulders, a stubborn ankle injury, her stomach, appendicitis and her wisdom teeth. She left the U.S. Open in a wheelchair and came off the French Open courts on a stretcher. 2:35: French Open champion Li Na is ousted from Wimbledon by the rocket-serving Sabine Lisicki. The German is celebrating with a mix of tears and laughs. Li Na held off two match points, but lost on serve when she went long with a forehand. Lisicki overwhelmed the No. 3 seed on serve, winning the ace count 17-4. 2:32: Ryan Harrison's match with David Ferrer has been halted by rain. They're tied at a set apiece. 2:30: Sabine Lisicki holds serve with a 40-15 game that ends with a Li Na forehand going long. The 21-year-old German has a 7-6 lead and will try to end the match by breaking the No. 3 seed for a third straight time. 2:28: Li Na has lost control of her forehand. She goes wide with three straight forehands and loses on her serve, 0-40. 6-6 in the third. 2:24: Lisicki gives back the break and Li Na will serve for the match for a second time, leading the third set 6-5. However this turns out, Lisicki has secured her place as a Wimbledon threat. Her 125-mph serve was made for grass. 2:21: Lisicki breaks Li Na again and the 21-year-old gets the third set to 5-5 against the No. 3 seed from China. 2:20: Ryan Harrison couldn't keep his momentum rolling in the second set, and is at 1-1 with David Ferrer after taking a 6-1 drubbing. 2:15: Huge rally by Sabine Lisicki against Li Na. She was down 15-40 and facing double match point, and rallied with four consecutive serves in the 122-125 mph range. The last two were for aces. So Li Na serves for the match, up 5-4. 2:12: Li Na regroups and leads the third set 5-3. 2:01: Isner goes wide to set up set point, and Almagro cashes in immediately with a big serve that Isner barely gets his racket on. Almagro is up two sets after claiming a pair of tie-breakers. 1:59: Almagro comes right back with two points on his serve an is up 5-4 in the tie-break with Isner. 1:58: Isner scores on both his serves and leads the tie-breaker 4-3. 1:52: John Isner is in a second tie-breaker with Almagro. He lost the first one. 1:49: 19-year-old Ryan Harrison knocks down two big points and claims the tie-breaker against Spanish vet David Ferrer, 8-6. 1:47: Ferrer goes way wide with a forehand and the tie-breaker with Ryan Harrison is 6-6 at the crossover. 1:43: American Ryan Harrison overcame early trouble to force a first-set tie-breaker with David Ferrer. They're at 3-3. 1:39: Li Na holds off one set point but an erratic forehand costs her on the second. She gets broken in a 9-minute game and loses the second set 6-4. She and Germany's Sabine Lisicki are headed to a third set. 1:29: John Isner lost his first-set tie-breaker with Nicolas Almagro of Spain, 7-3. The other American man on court right now, Ryan Harrison, is on serve with David Ferrer in the first set. 1:25: French Open champion Li Na is in some trouble against Sabine Lisicki. She won the first set 6-3, but Lisicki is leading the second 5-2. 12:45: Tarps are coming off the outdoor courts. 12:12: Oh joy. It's raining, again, at Wimbledon. Play is suspended on all the outdoor courts. But the roof is closed at Centre Court, where French Open champ Li Na will face Germany's Sabine Lisicki shortly. 12:04: Hewitt crumbles in the same situation again and Soderling wins after losing the first two sets. Soderling went up 30-0 with a powerful cross-court forehand and Hewitt never recovered. The No. 5 seed survives a tough test. 12:01: Hewitt is back in the same situation where he lost control of the previous two sets: Down 4-5 and serving. 11:45: Soderling breaks back, and he and Hewitt are on serve at 2-2 in the fifth. 11:42: Hewitt bounces back. He's up a break at 2-1 early in the fifth set. Soderling leads the counts on aces (23-11) and winners (63-37) but Hewitt has committed far fewer unforced errors (17-35). 11:27: Play has resumed on the outside courts. John Isner will face Spain's Nicolas Almagro shortly. Last scheduled match on the No. 1 court pits Britain's Laura Robson against Maria Sharapova. 11:18: Hewitt loses the fourth set the same way he dropped the third. Serving at 4-5, he gets behind quick and is broken. Soderling forces a fifth set, and Hewitt's iffy foot will be tested. 11:03: The Lleyton Hewitt-Robin Soderling match at Centre Court -- where the roof is closed -- is the only match in progress. Tarps are on the outdoor courts as the drizzle persists. Hewitt is up 2 sets to 1, and they're on serve at 3-3 in the fourth. 10:48: With Christina McHale losing in straight sets earlier the Williams sisters are the only two U.S. women left alive. Djokovic's win improves his record this year to 43-1. 10:40: Hewitt falters badly with a chance to close out fifth-seeded Soderling. After not facing a break point the entire match, he goes down 15-40 and loses the third set 7-5. He'll have to go another set to win this second-round match, and with all the problems his foot has been giving him that might be a tall order. 10:32: Down 6-5 in the third set, Hewitt is serving and will try to force the tie-breaker with Soderling. 10:26: If Lleyton Hewitt can keep it together he'll pull off the biggest upset so far at Wimbledon. Against No. 5 seed Robin Soderling he won the first two sets, 7-6, 6-3, and he's about to serve, down 5-4 in the third. Hewitt's foot injury kept him out of the French Open, and forced him to quit during a match at Eastbourne in the leadup to Wimbledon. The Australian has been taking painkillers, and is unseeded at Wimbledon. 10:13: Djokovic closes out his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory. He still has lost only one match the entire year. 10:09: Novak Djokovic is closing in on a second-round victory against Kevin Anderson of South Africa. The No. 2 seed is up two sets and serving for the match at 5-2 in the third set. 10:05: Not a lot going on right now. Lleyton Hewitt, the Wimbledon winner way back in 2002, surprisingly is breezing against Robin Soderling, up two sets on the fifth-seeded Swede. Hewitt has been a non-factor in recent years because of multiple injuries and surgeries, but he has made some circus shots this year and is showing great emotion on the court. Don't forget, when he was 20 he became the youngest man in tennis history to have the world No. 1 ranking. 9:05: Although she made it harder on herself than need be, Williams advances to the third round, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. Williams had to go to a fourth match point before winning. Williams had won 12 consecutive points and had triple match point but allowed Halep to win game 6. She also lost the first two points of the seventh game before storming back for the set and match. 9:00: Williams had triple-match point but allowed Halep to climb back into the game and win. Still, its 5-1 in the third set with Williams serving. 8:56: You can't stop Serena, you only hope to contain her and hope to contain her for a brief period. After losing the first set and then winning set 2, 6-2, Williams is up 5-0 in the final set. 8:54: Pretty much game, set and match for Williams. She is up 4-0 and is about to serve. Halep's energy, so apparent in the first set seems to be leaking and Williams appears to be gathering strength in the process. 8:50: Williams extends her lead to 3-0 in the third set and winning 9 of the past 11 games this match seems to be in the win catagory for the multi-slam winner. 8:45: Now the Williams power and talent is breaking fully through. She breaks Halep's serve and is up 2-0 in the final set. 8:44: Williams continues to be in control. She is up 1-0 in the third set and has won 7 of the last 9 games. 8:37: Williams breaks Halep and wins the second set 6-2. Williams didn't seem to be in any danger of the losing the set but she probably had to work harder for points than she wanted to. While conditioning is always concerned for a player who has played as little as Williams, she won 6-1 in the third set of her first match. 8:30: It appears we will have a third set as Williams serves her way to a 5-2 lead in the second set. 8:25: Halep makes it 4-2 with her best service game since the first set. 8:18: Williams is now up 4-1 but she took a game that she could have easily won and turned it into a battle of points. Williams is clearly playing much better but continues to allow Halep to have hope in each game as Williams adds to her total of unforced errors. Still, it appears that Williams will cruise in the second set. 8:15: Halep makes it 3-1 as she benefits from some unforced errors by Williams who was up 40-15 in the game. 8:10: Williams now up 3-0 with Halep falling down once again. This time she came up rubbing her right knee. Williams, who seemed a tad slow in losing the first set, is picking up the pace and has had no problems with Halep in set two. 8:01: Williams breaks Halep whose sharp serve seemed to desert her. Williams now up 2-0 in the second set after losing the first. The momentum does seem to be shifting. 7:59: Williams up 1-0 in second set. 7:55: Halep wins the first set 6-3 on another unforced error by Williams. Halep served strongly the entire set and Williams, with few exceptions, seems to be a beat behind her best as she is not anticipating like she did when healthy. 7:53: Williams wins serve and now trails 5-3. Halep's knee and left calf didn't seem to limit her. She will now be serving for the first set. 7:50: Players are back on the court with Halep electing not to get her knee taped. 7:48: The trainer is flexing Halep's left knee as she is laying down. Halep's face doesn't show any great pain but is talking to the trainer. Once the injury is diagnosed the player will get three minutes to treat it. 7:44: Halep, who fell down in the last set, has called for the trainer. When she got up she return to win the game easily. This could take some time which might be a break for Williams. 7:42: Halep gives herself a great chance to win the first set. She is now up 5-2 and didn't let Williams continue the momentum she had when she last served. Williams had won five consecutive points but Halep came back to slam the door and slam it hard. Williams did not get the final serve back. 7:40: Okay, now the old Serena Williams has peaked out. She wins her serve without giving up a point and with an ace to put a finish to it. She trails 4-2 but looks much sharper than she did. 7:38: Halep now up 4-1 and is dominating the four-time Wimbledon champion. Halep looks sharp but Williams also looks sluggish and her timing seems to be off. 7:35: Williams serves poorly and is now down 3-1 to Halep. Williams not only didn't do well on first serve but had her second serve sent screaming back at her. In her first victory, Halep had just three unforced errors so Williams won't be getting much help. 7:30: Match remains on serve with Halep win the third game to take a 2-1 first set lead. Williams helped her opponent with three unforced errors. 7:27: With the serve, Serena returns the favor and it is now 1-1. Williams did not dominate with her strong first serve and that might be something to watch as the match continues. 7:22: Simona Halep served the first game against Williams and does well. She leads 1-0 after moving Williams around the court. 7:07: Serena Williams is about 10 minutes late but she's heading to Court 2 for her second round match. ESPN analysts have joked that after playing so many matches on Centre Court that Williams may have gotten lost. Pam Shriver reports that Richard Williams said his daughter has to start to relax. Her health problems (injured foot and pulmonary embolism) are already well-documented. See photos of: Wimbledon, Serena Williams To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor . For publication consideration in the newspaper, sendto . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to . You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed.