Stuff to Blog About and More: In the News; May 25, 2008

Aftershock hits China.
The latest aftershock is one of the strongest to hit since the May 12 earthquake. Officials say that at least 400 people have been injured, 70,000 homes have collapsed due to the magnitude 5.8 tremor. The aftershock also caused office towers to sway 800 miles away in Beijing.

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Remember Dick Martin, from the comedy team "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" ?
took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as "Sock it to me!" has died. He was 86.

He died of respiratory complications at a hospital in Santa Monica according to a family spokesman. Martin had lost the use of one of his lungs as a teenager, and needed supplemental oxygen for most of the day in his later years.

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A 747 Splits in half!
The cargo plane crashed at the end of a runway and split in two while trying to take off at Brussels airport, authorities said. It is not known at this time why.

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Robbie "Kaptain" Knievel, continues on.
The son of the late daredevil Evel Knievel, successfully jumped over 24 delivery trucks Saturday night at the site of one of his father's most famous stunts.

Daredevil Robbie 'Kaptain' Knievel jumps over 24 delivery trucks, his longest gap ever of 200 feet, at Kings Island amusement park, Saturday, May 24, 2008 in Mason, Ohio. Thirty-three years agao, on Oct. 25, 1975, Robbie's father, Evel Knievel made history when he successfully jumped 14 buses at Kings Island. A crowd of more than 40,000 people witnessed the jump. (AP Photo/David Kohl)

AP Photo:
Knievel, 46, had said he would need to be going 95 miles per hour at take off for the 200-foot jump, which began from a three-story tall ramp and was completed amid wild cheers, booming explosions and shooting flames at Kings Island amusement park near Cincinnati. Robbie's father, Evil Knievel died last year at the age of 69 after suffering from failing health for many years.

FTC: Your Rights: Credit Reporting

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, has prepared a brochure, Your Access to Free Credit Reports, explaining your rights under the FCRA and how to order a free annual credit report.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

How do I order my free report?

You can order your free annual credit report online at annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

When you order, you need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. To verify your identity, you may need to provide some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment.

A Warning About "Imposter" Sites

The FTC advises consumers who order their free annual credit reports online to be sure to correctly spell annualcreditreport.com, or link to it from the FTC's website to avoid being misdirected to other websites that offer supposedly free reports,but only with the purchase of other products. While consumers may be offered additional products or services while on the authorized website, they are not required to make a purchase to receive their free annual credit reports.

For more information on free annual credit reports, read Your Access to Free Credit Reports.