Stuff to Blog About and More: In the news, August 24, 2008

Redeemed!

U.S. men 'back on top' in Olympic basketball

It's been a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment.
The U.S. men's Olympic basketball team beat Spain 118-107.
The Americans are bringing home the gold.
LeBron James said"Much respect to Spain, but the U.S. is back on top again."

USA's Kobe Bryant celebrated on the podium after beating Spain

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The end of the Olympics
It's been an exciting two weeks. A Spanish tenor, a British soccer star and a throng of kung-fu fighters are among the scheduled closing-ceremony attractions tonight as China concludes its first Olympics and hands over the role of Summer Games to London.

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Police Disrupt Filming of Robbery

In Massachusetts, director John Depew was filming an armed robbery scene for the upcoming film "27 Down." Someone called the police to the robbery.

“They came in and they said, ‘Drop the gun’ and I couldn’t see the officer because he was behind (me),” Depew said. “I said, ‘It’s a movie, it’s a movie -- we’re filming a movie!’ ”

The officers placed two of the actors in handcuffs, according to Depew. After a tense discussion, the crew explained that the situation to the officers. No charges were filed against the storeowner or filmmaker.

The film is scheduled to be released in January.

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.