You are viewing posts tagged article

Erin Andrews, the ESPN reporter who was secretly videotaped nude in 2008, has been receiving death threats, her attorney told CNN on Friday.

Several threatening e-mails regarding Andrews have been sent to sportscaster Dan Patrick since last September, according to Marshall B. Grossman, Andrews’ attorney.

“Until very recently, [the e-mails] were of a sexual nature, but then turned violent” last month, Grossman said.

He said the e-mails received in March “are specific, they’re violent, they identify the location and method of intended murder.”

Grossman said the existence of the threats were first revealed to Andrews on Thursday morning. The e-mails were provided to Andrews’ representatives by DirecTV, which carries the Dan Patrick Show. Patrick was formerly at ESPN.

The FBI began work on the case on Thursday and believes it has identified the individual responsible for the threatening e-mails, Grossman said.

Andrews is getting round-the-clock security, Grossman said. Grossman has also requested heightened security at Los Angeles’ CBS Television City, where Andrews is competing on the show, “Dancing with the Stars.”

In March, a federal judge sentenced an Illinois man to two and a half years in prison for taping Andrews in the nude.

The taping took place through a hotel-room peephole, and the video was posted on the Internet.

Michael David Barrett, 49, pleaded guilty to a federal stalking charge in December after prosecutors accused him of altering hotel peepholes so he could shoot video of Andrews while unclothed.

Dating is hard. It’s also annoying, self-esteem crushing, and time-consuming. But it can also be amazing, self-confidence boosting, and simply so much fun. Dating is about more than just finding a partner - it’s a good way to meet new people, work on your social interaction and communication skills, and experience new things.

When you begin dating again after a relationship ends, it’s very easy to bring residual thoughts and actions from the past to the forefront, which can often keep that tiny spark from igniting into something more. Here are 5 common mistakes that we make in dating, yet don’t even realize we’re making them:

1. Tunnel vision.

Don’t limit your dating pool to your normal “type.” Branch out of your dating comfort zone and give a chance to those you haven’t previously considered (think age, looks, profession, location). You just might be surprised as to whom you meet and fall for.

2. Underestimating how much you have to offer.

Be you; not what you think other people want (i.e. your mother, your friends or that guy you’ve had your eye on). Authenticity is sexy, and it goes hand in hand with confidence, adding up to a very attractive combination. Plus, if it clicks with someone, you’ll know it’s real.

3. Judging yourself.

Confidence and friendliness count for way more than model looks — in dating, and in life. You’re human; you have flaws. Learn to rock your flaws instead of beating yourself up.

4. Expecting too much (or anything) on a first date.

Having expectations about a first date almost always leads to disappointment, especially when you’re first diving back into the game when your fear level is high. Avoid this by enjoying the company no matter what they’re like. If it’s great? Great — go out again. If the date totally tanked? Enjoy a bad date for what it is — a great story to tell your friends. Taking the pressure off makes for an enjoyable time, no matter what happens.

5. Cynic-syndrome.

When you’re in post break-up “I’ve-been-burned” mode, it’s incredibly common (and natural) to assume the worst about people. Do your best to avoid this and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how everyone isn’t your evil ex. Letting go of cynicism is a major part of moving forward. This is a hard one, so be patient with yourself!

So, as you get back out into the dating world, take a step back and be aware of yourself, your thoughts, and how you are presenting yourself to the world. Remember these 5 common mistakes, know that you’re not alone in thinking this way, and try to keep these mistakes from preventing a potential future happy relationship.

What are some other common mistakes you or people you know have made when they go back out in the dating world?

An argument between Counter-Strike players at a Chinese net café over suspected use of a ‘wallhack’ cheat led to a 17-year-old boy being stabbed through the head with a foot-long knife – and living to tell the tale.

Counter-Strike players in the Jilin province of China take cheating extremely seriously, as evidenced by the grievous wound suffered by one suspected cheater on March 16. The 17-year-old victim was suspected of using a hack that allowed him to see through walls, giving him an obvious benefit in the computerized game of hide and go kill each other.

A fight broke out outside the net café regarding the hack, and one assailant decided to do a little hacking of his own, stabbing large knife into the side of the cheater’s head, the tip of the blade barely protruding from the other side.

It’s important to remember to show your keyboard some love every now and then both for the sake of good hygiene and to ensure it functions properly. Those keys take quite a beating everyday, and all the little crevices are excellent at trapping things like dust and hair, and if you ever eat near your computer, it’s easy to wind up with sticky surfaces and crumbs buried between the cracks. Ew, right? Here, step-by-step instructions to get your keyboard in tip top shape.

Shut down your PC, and unplug the mouse, discs or CDs, USB drives or anything else that’s protruding from your machine. Carefully, turn the keyboard (or your entire laptop, as the case may be) upside down and give it a gentle shake to release any dusty build-up that might be lurking between the keys.

Use a can of compressed air (available at just about any electronics store) to blow off residual debris around and under all the nooks and crannies. Alternatively, the hose of a vacuum cleaner works too.

Put a couple drops of isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip and run it around the edges of your keys to get them squeaky clean. The cotton swab should be only slightly damp—not wet—dripping liquid into your keyboard is (obviously) a bad thing!

Lastly, give the whole thing a once over with a dry, lint-free cloth, and let it air dry for a few minutes before using it (never turn on your machine until you’re positive the keys are completely dry). And between in-depth cleanings, one of my favorite tricks is to use the sticky part of a Post-It note to run between rows of keys to pick up dust.

1. Medical Expenses

A study done at Harvard University indicates that this is the biggest cause of bankruptcy, representing 62% of all personal bankruptcies. One of the interesting caveats of this study shows that 78% of filers had some form of health insurance, thus bucking the myth that medical bills affect only the uninsured.

Rare or serious diseases or injuries can easily result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills - bills that can quickly wipe out savings and retirement accounts, college education funds and home equity. Once these have been exhausted, bankruptcy may be the only shelter left, regardless of whether the patient or his or her family was able to apply health coverage to a portion of the bill or not.

2. Job Loss

Whether due to layoff, termination or resignation, the loss of income from a job can be equally devastating. Some are lucky enough to receive severance packages, but many find pink slips on their desks or lockers with little or no prior notice. Not having an emergency fund to draw from only worsens this situation, and using credit cards to pay bills can be disastrous.

The loss of insurance coverage and the cost of COBRA insurance also drain the job seeker’s already limited resources. Those who are unable to find similar gainful employment for an extended period of time may not be able to recover from the lack of income in time to keep the creditors at bay.

Read More