Stuff to Blog About and More: In the News September 29th, 2008

Roses are red...and other Poems by Osama bin Laden

Yale University says that they are processing, preserving and archiving 1,500 audio tapes recorded in bin Laden's Afghanistan headquarters from 1988 through 2000 . The collection includes recordings of everything from celebrations after militant actions to religious sermons to, yes, bin Laden's poetry. The cassettes were found in bin Laden's Afghanistan headquarters in 2001.

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Harvard to nix nutritional information

Harvard University dining services have removed index cards detailing nutritional information from dining halls this after students and parents raised concerns about displayed calorie counts leading to or worsening eating disorders,

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Another Hollywood DUI

Actress Heather Locklear is shown in this photograph released by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Dept. Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Locklear was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance in the upscale Santa Barbara area, authorities said Sunday. (AP Photo/Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Dept.)

This time it was Heather Locklear who was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Locklear, 47, was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer in the upscale Santa Barbara area according to authorities. A local resident tipped off the cops after seeing the actress leaving a parking lot and "driving erratically," according to a patrol spokesman.

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.