Stuff to Blog About and More: In the News September 14th, 2008

Commuter Crash Blamed on Engineer

A commuter rail car lies on its side after a collision Friday near Los Angeles, California.

The two-train collision Friday near Los Angeles, California. killed 25 people and injured more than 130 others . Authorities say that the crash was due to an engineer failed to heed a traffic signal.

The engineer guiding the Metrolink train, slammed head-on into a freight train and is not believed to have survived according to a Metrolink spokeswoman.

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Ike causes GasPrices to Rise

Pople far from Hurricane Ike's destruction are experiencing gasoline prices that surged overnight — to nearly $5 a gallon in some places. President Bush Saturday said officials will ensure gasoline stations don't gouge customers after Hurricane Ike.
Regular gasoline was at $4.99 per gallon Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee where on the
previous day it hold been $3.59 a gallon.

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It's not who you think it is

Tina Fey returned to Saturday Night Live last night as Governer Sarah Palin. Fey returned to her old show for an opening sketch featuring her and Fey's former "Weekend Update" co-host Amy Poehler as Sen. Hillary Clinton. Michael Phelps was the host of the season opener.

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.