Stuff to Blog About and More: August 25th, In the News

The Celebs head for Denver
As a show of support for the real purpose of the Democratic National Convention, celebrities are heading to Denver.

Kanye West, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow and Edward Norton are said to be in attendeance. The Black Eyed Peas are scheduled to perform at a Denver show August 27.

According to Washington publication The Hill, other concerts scheduled for Denver include a Monday Rock the Vote show featuring Wyclef Jean; a Tuesday Rock to Win concert starring Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Rufus Wainwright; and a Wednesday show hosted by the ONE campaign -- which supports the fight against AIDS and global poverty -- and the Recording Industry Association of America. That show will be headlined by Kanye West.

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The Bejing Olympics are over
The American's scored the most medals while the Chinese scored the most golds.

Total Medals By Nation
NATION TOTAL MEDALS GOLD SILVER BRONZE
United States 110 Medals 36 38 36
China 100 Medals 51 21 28
Russia 72 7 Medals 23 21 28
Great Britain 47 Medals 19 13 15
Australia 46 Medals 14 15 17
Germany 41 Medals 16 10 15
France 40 Medals 7 16 17

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McCain Versus the Material Girl
John McCain's campaign hit back at Madonna after she kicked off her world tour with a concert that bracketed the US presidential candidate with Adolf Hitler.

McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds angrily condemned the segment of Madonna's concert in Cardiff on Saturday that appeared to draw a comparison between McCain, Hitler and Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe.

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.