Sun Unleashes 'Spectacular' & Powerful Eruption

Coronal mass ejection as viewed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 7, 2011. CREDIT: NASA/SDO View full size image

The sun unleashed a massive solar storm today (June 7) in a dazzling eruption that kicked up a vast cloud of magnetic plasma that appeared to rain back down over half of the sun's entire surface, NASA scientists say.
The solar storm hit its peak at about 2:41 a.m. EDT (0641 GMT), but the actual flare extended over a three-hour period, said C. Alex Young, a solar astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center who runs a website called The Sun Today, in a video describing the event.
"The sun produced a quite spectacular prominence eruption that had a solar flare and high-energy particles associated with it, but I've just never seen material released like this before," Young said. "It looks like somebody just kicked a giant clod of dirt into the air and then it fell back down." [Video: See the sun's June 7 solar flare and eruption]

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft caught high-definition video of the flare in different wavelengths. The event registered as a Class M-2 solar flare, which is a medium-class sun storm that should not pose a danger to satellites or infrastructure on Earth.
An alert by the NOAA-operated Space Weather Prediction Center stated that the solar flare could create a strong geomagnetic storm on Wednesday (June 9) from the event's coronal mass ejection (CME), an explosion of charged particles triggered by the flare. Geomagnetic storms can lead to stronger than normal displays of Earth's auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights.
"It's nothing we really have to worry about," Young said in his video. "It's just really, really beautiful."
The coronal mass ejection is directed at Earth and moving at about 3.1 million mph (5 million kph), SDO mission scientists said in a statement.
"Due to its angle, however, effects on Earth should be fairly small. Nevertheless, it may generate space weather effects here on Earth in a few days," they added.
In the SDO videos, the solar flare erupts from the lower right of the sun and triggers the intense coronal mass ejection, which blows plasma and particles high up into the sun's corona — its outer atmosphere — with some raining back down.
SDO mission scientists said the flare kicked up relatively cool gas and material.
"It is somewhat unique because at many places in the eruption there seems to be even cooler material —at temperatures less than 80,000 Kelvin," SDO scientists explained.
A temperature of 80,000 Kelvin is about 143,540 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 79,727 degrees Celsius). The sun's corona typically has temperatures ranging from 900,000 degrees F (500,000 degrees C) to 10.8 million degrees F (6 million degrees C). It can reach tens of millions of degrees when a solar flare occurs.
The sun is currently going through an active period in it is 11-year solar weather cycle. The current cycle is called solar cycle 24.
Several NASA spacecraft are keeping constant watch on the sun for flares and CMEs, and serve as an early-warning system for major space weather events.

How to Order a Credit Report

Credit Bureau Mailing Addresses

 

 

 

 

 

 Telephone Numbers and Mailing Addresses of the Three Major Credit Bureaus

 

The contact information for the three major credit reporting agencies (or credit bureaus) is below.  When you contact them, you must have specific information handy so that they can verify your identity.  Note that these agencies have a duty to make sure that the person requesting a copy of his or her credit report is indeed that person and not a thief or unauthorized third party.  Therefore, if the information they have on file about you does not match the information you provide to them, there will be a delay in obtaining your report, or they might deny your request altogether. 

For example, if you have recently moved, the credit bureau might not have your new address and phone number yet. If you request they send your credit report to your new address, they will refuse your request and ask you to prove you are who you say you are.  This might require sending them copies of your driver's license with the new address and a statement from a landlord, utility company, etc. that proves you live at the new address.  Therefore, if you want to obtain a copy of your credit report as quickly as possible, it would be wise to phone them first and find out if you can simply order your report over the phone, or need to send them proof of your identity.  And, before contacting them, read this page entirely to find out if you would like to obtain free credit reports online with absolutely no catches or hidden fees involved.

Experian

P. O. Box 9595 [see note], Allen, TX 75013-9595   Tel:  888-397-3742

When ordering your credit report, you might be asked to provide the following information:  First, middle and last name; current address; previous addresses for the past five years; social security number, date of birth; spouse's name.  If you are not entitled to a free credit report, they will charge you a fee around $10 for a copy of your credit report

Note:  Experian has a long history of changing its mailing address periodically, so the mailing address provided may not be accurate.

Equifax

P. O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241  Tel:  800-685-1111

When ordering your credit report, you might be asked to provide the following information:  Full legal name, address, social security number, most recent former address.  If you are not entitled to a free credit report, they may charge you a fee around $10 for a copy of your credit report.

Trans Union

P. O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022  Tel:  800-888-4213

When ordering your credit report, you might be asked to provide the following information:  First, middle and last name; current address; previous addresses for past two years; social security number, date of birth; current employer; phone number.  If you are not entitled to a free credit report, they may charge you a fee around $10 for a copy of your credit report.

If you want to order your credit reports online, you are entitled to one free credit report each year from each of the three credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.  The three credit bureaus have set up a website so you can easily order your credit reports online.  Click here for more information.

You can also order your credit report online at each of the three credit bureaus' websites:  experian.com, transunion.com and equifax.com.  Howevever, if you order your credit reports online directly from their websites, there is a good chance you will have to pay a small fee, and they will try to sell you numerous services and programs that you don't really 

How to Order a Credit Report

Telephone Numbers and Mailing Addresses of the Three Major Credit Bureaus

The contact information for the three major credit reporting agencies (or credit bureaus) is below.  When you contact them, you must have specific information handy so that they can verify your identity.  Note that these agencies have a duty to make sure that the person requesting a copy of his or her credit report is indeed that person and not a thief or unauthorized third party.  Therefore, if the information they have on file about you does not match the information you provide to them, there will be a delay in obtaining your report, or they might deny your request altogether. 

For example, if you have recently moved, the credit bureau might not have your new address and phone number yet. If you request they send your credit report to your new address, they will refuse your request and ask you to prove you are who you say you are.  This might require sending them copies of your driver's license with the new address and a statement from a landlord, utility company, etc. that proves you live at the new address.  Therefore, if you want to obtain a copy of your credit report as quickly as possible, it would be wise to phone them first and find out if you can simply order your report over the phone, or need to send them proof of your identity.  And, before contacting them, read this page entirely to find out if you would like to obtain free credit reports online with absolutely no catches or hidden fees involved.

Experian

P. O. Box 9595 [see note], Allen, TX 75013-9595   Tel:  888-397-3742

When ordering your credit report, you might be asked to provide the following information:  First, middle and last name; current address; previous addresses for the past five years; social security number, date of birth; spouse's name.  If you are not entitled to a free credit report, they will charge you a fee around $10 for a copy of your credit report

Note:  Experian has a long history of changing its mailing address periodically, so the mailing address provided may not be accurate.

Equifax

P. O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241  Tel:  800-685-1111

When ordering your credit report, you might be asked to provide the following information:  Full legal name, address, social security number, most recent former address.  If you are not entitled to a free credit report, they may charge you a fee around $10 for a copy of your credit report.

Trans Union

P. O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022  Tel:  800-888-4213

When ordering your credit report, you might be asked to provide the following information:  First, middle and last name; current address; previous addresses for past two years; social security number, date of birth; current employer; phone number.  If you are not entitled to a free credit report, they may charge you a fee around $10 for a copy of your credit report.

If you want to order your credit reports online, you are entitled to one free credit report each year from each of the three credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.  The three credit bureaus have set up a website so you can easily order your credit reports online.  Click here for more information.

You can also order your credit report online at each of the three credit bureaus' websites:  experian.com, transunion.com and equifax.com.  Howevever, if you order your credit reports online directly from their websites, there is a good chance you will have to pay a small fee, and they will try to sell you numerous services and programs that you don't really need. 

How to Order a Credit Report -- Sample Letters

When you order a copy of your credit report from one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) you are required to provide them with specific information to verify that you are who you claim to be.  Credit reporting agencies must be very diligent about verifying your identity to prevent unauthorized persons from obtaining your credit report.

For this reason, one must always provide the following information to a credit reporting agency or they will reject your request to receive a copy of your credit report.  Include the information below on any correspondence you send to a credit reporting agency or have it ready when you telephone --

Your full legal name:  John Mitchell Doe, Sr.

Your current address:  111 East Main Street, Anytown, NY 12345

Your former address: Include only if you have not lived at your current address for 3 yrs.

Your social security number:  000-00-0000

Your birthdate:  September 1, 1970

You might also be asked for your driver's license number or for other information to verify your identity.

If you have recently moved or the credit reporting agency does not have a record of your most current address, there will be a delay in receiving your credit report since they will have to verify that you are indeed who you claim to be. To speed up the process, send a copy of your I.D. with your current address to them when you request your credit report.

Sample letters requesting a copy of a credit report are below.  Several of the sample letters request a free credit report.  Find out if you qualify for a free credit report by clicking here.

Sample Letter #1 -- Request a free credit report because you were recently denied credit:

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am requesting that you send me a free copy of my credit report.  I was recently denied credit by the Acme Credit Card Company based on information contained in my credit file with your agency.  As proof, I have attached a copy of the letter from Acme denying me credit.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

John M. Doe, Sr.   [You must sign the letter]

Sample Letter #2 -- Pay for a credit report (usually the fee is around $8.00)

Please send me a copy of my credit report.  Attached you will find my check to cover the $8.50 fee.   Note that I recently moved from 1234 James Street, Anytown, Texas to 1111 Blah Street, Dallas, Texas 11111.  I have attached a copy of my driver's license with my new address for identity verification purposes.  My new telephone number is (000) 000-0000.  Please call me if you need additional information to verify my identity before sending my credit report to my new address.

Sample Letter #3 -- Request a free credit report because you're unemployed

Please send me a copy of my credit report.   I am currently unemployed and am looking for work. I understand that under the Fair Credit Reporting Act,  I am entitled to a free copy of my credit report because I am currently unemployed and am searching for employment.   Attached is a copy of my recent application for unemployment benefits as proof of my eligibility to receive a free copy of my credit report. Thank you.

Note:  Instead of an application for unemployment benefits, you could send a copy of the document dismissing you from your job, such as a pink slip or lay-off notification.

Sample Letter #4  -- Request a free credit report because you suspect identity theft

Please send me a free copy of my credit report.  I suspect that someone has tried to open accounts in my name and I need a copy of my credit report to do an identity theft investigation.

Several of the letters above request a free credit report.  Find out if you qualify for a free credit report.  You can also order a copy of your credit report online and view it immediately; however, there is normally a fee associated with this service.

How to Order a Credit Report -- Sample Letters

Debt Kit -- Settle unsecured debts for less than half of amount owed

Credit Kit -- Improve your credit rating and reduce monthly payments by $200+

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How To Order A Credit Report

You can order a copy of your credit report from one of the three major credit reporting agencies:  Equifax, TransUnion or Experian.  It is important to know that the three credit bureaus do not share information with each other so your credit profile will vary from credit bureau to credit bureau.  For example, you might find that one credit bureau has considerable information about you, while another has very little information about you.  For this reason, it is recommended that you order your credit report from each credit bureau so you know what information each one has on you.

Are You Entitled to Receive a Free Copy of Your Credit Report?

Congress passed legislation in 2003 requiring each of the three credit bureaus to give all citizens one free copy of their credit reports each year.  Click here to find out how to order your free credit report under the FACTA law.

If you have already used the FACTA law to get a free credit report this year, but need another free credit report, use the following guidelines to determine if you are entitled to receive another free copy of your credit report.  You are entitled to request a free credit report for any reason below:

(1) You are unemployed and intend to apply for employment within 60 days;

(2) You are living on public welfare assistance;

(3) You believe your credit report contains inaccurate information due to fraud or identity theft; or

(4) You have been the subject of adverse action, such as denial of credit, housing or insurance, within the past 60 days.  Note that you are entitled to receive a free report only from the credit bureau that provided the negative information resulting in your denial of credit, housing, insurance, or employment, and not from all three credit bureaus).

Our credit kit includes sample letters requesting a free credit report based on reasons (1) through (4) above.  When you request a copy of your credit report, you will probably be asked to submit proof of your eligibility to receive a free credit report, such as a copy of documentation proving your unemployment status, your recent denial of credit, or that you are receiving public assistance.  If you have such proof, go ahead and attach a copy of it with your request if you're making your request by mail.

If I Can't Get a Free Credit Report How Much Does It Cost to Buy A Copy of My Credit Report?

As referenced above, everyone is entitled to a free credit report each year under the FACTA law.  If the FACTA law does not apply and you are not entitled to a free credit report based on reasons (1) through (4) outlined above, you will have to pay for a copy of your credit report.  For example:

If you live in Maine or Minnesota the cost is $3.00.

If you live in Connecticut the cost is $5.00.

If you live in California the cost is $8.00

If you live in any other state not mentioned above the cost could be $8.00 or higher. 

The fee varies from state to state since state legislatures have enacted laws limiting what a credit bureau can charge citizens for a copy of their credit report.  To save time and frustration, contact the credit bureau and ask what the exact fee will be before requesting your credit report by mail.

What Is A Credit Report?

A credit report is broadly defined as a document that contains information about who a person has borrowed money from, how well he pays his bills, and how much debt he owes.  There are three major credit reporting agencies that have a credit file on you:  Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.  They do not share information with each other and most lenders do not subscribe to the services of all three agencies.  Therefore, your credit report with each of the three agencies will differ as to completeness of information.  For example, perhaps the copy of your Trans Union credit report will consist only a few pages while your Experian credit report consists of 15 pages.

You will also be surprised to find that everything you assumed would be reported is not reported.  For example, most would assume their mortgage loan payment history is being reported. This is not always true.  Mortgage loans with small to medium-sized banks and credit unions may not be reported.  Other accounts that are not reported unless you default or the account is turned over to a debt collector are:  Checking and savings accounts; utility accounts (water, telephone, gas); medical and legal bills; monthly rental / lease payments; and insurance records.

Who does report?  Major credit card companies report, as do most finance and loan companies.  So do collection agencies and major retailers. Other items that may appear on your credit report are  liens, such as tax liens, a bankruptcy, judgments, child support obligations in default, and many student loans. Banks, leasing companies, lawyers, doctors and others might report an account if it becomes delinquent or is in default.

Your creditors are not required by law to report your payment history to a credit reporting agency.  The Federal law that regulates credit reporting agencies (CRAs) is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).  It holds CRAs and those reporting information to CRAs to reporting information accurately and fairly and to re-investigate information that a consumer disputes in a timely manner and make corrections, if necessary.

It is recommended that you order your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies and make sure that each is accurate and find out which of the three major CRAs your creditors report your information to. Reviewing your credit report is particularly important if you are planning to apply for a mortgage or auto loan soon.  Fixing mistakes found on a credit report can take as long as six months to complete, therefore, order your credit reports well in advance of applying for a loan to make sure they are accurate.  Our credit kit comes with  28 sample letters to help you improve your credit rating.

Negative Information on a Credit Report

Negative notations that appear on your credit report, such as a late payment, charge off notation, lien or judgment can remain on your credit report for up to seven years.  A bankruptcy can remain on your credit report for up to 10 years.  The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that negative information be deleted after seven years (10 years for a bankruptcy) so that you aren't punished for the rest of your life for having once had a bad credit rating. 

There are exceptions to the seven year statute of limitation:

(1)  Credit information reported in response to an application for a job with a salary of more than $75,000 has no time limit.  This means that a prospective employer can be given a copy of your credit report that discloses negative information older than seven years; however, this is rarely done.

(2)  Credit information reported because of an application for more than $150,000 worth of credit or life insurance has no time limit.  Your mortgage lender or insurance agent can access older, negative information about your payment history but they rarely do. 

(3)  Information about criminal convictions may be reported without any time limitation.