Just like the stock market, house values can be an up-and-down affair. But the market value of homes in Altoona is not as volatile as in bigger cities such as Pittsburgh, Baltimore and New York City, according to area home appraisers and real estate agents. “Most people in this area know that there's basically a gradual, 5 percent increase per year," said Richard Johnston, owner/broker at Howard Hanna Johnston Realty, Altoona. “In the bigger markets, home values are going up 15 (percent) to 20 percent every year. But like the stock market, it has to correct itself eventually." Bigger populations and more jobs account for the dramatic increases in bigger cities, Johnston said. Home appraisals are a key component of the home buying and selling process, Johnston said. A residential appraisal is a security tool used by lenders to establish the market value of a home's property.

CityPac trade halt as shares halved

ONE of the country's biggest non-bank loan providers, City Pacific, has been placed in a trading halt after its shares lost half their value yesterday on fears that it will not be able to repay the bulk of a $240 million loan facility due next month.

There are also concerns that its directors might face margin calls on their shares. City Pacific yesterday revealed it had to repay an instalment of $90 million to the Commonwealth Bank by the end of March, and another $149.9 million by the end of April. The remaining $100,000 is due by the end of May. City Pacific also has to stump up $49 million by April 4 for Mariners Cove, located in Southport, Queensland, which it agreed to buy from property group Ariadne last August. The deal was meant to be finalised in February but City Pacific announced it would be delayed until April, without explaining why.

PC World: The Web works wonders for tax filing

We could import personal-finance data only from Quicken 2005 or later.

At $16 for a federal and one state form, 2nd Story Software's TaxAct Ultimate is the low-price leader. Its interview section is less customizable than TurboTax's, and the screens sport a distracting advertisement for getting an advance loan on a refund, but we liked the new interface, Q&A search, and program tutorial.

Ancient Lebanese city chokes under rubbish dump

Billionaire Saudi Prince Al-Walid bin Talal has offered five million dollars to carry out the project, but the village refused to take in the rubbish.

"The ministry of the environment has not given its approval," said Bizri. "The government doesn't want us to provide the solution. It does not suit them."

An environment ministry spokesman told AFP that it was "not concerned" by the issue, saying it fell under the jurisdiction of the municipality.

"No village will ever agree to receive toxic waste," said green campaigner Sarji, who has proposed transforming the dump into a public garden.

But he conceded that the project has little chance of being realised in a country like Lebanon as it grapples with its worst political crisis since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.

'Untraceable': Oh what a movie this might have been

"Untraceable" surfs the zeitgeist like a politician riding the latest polls. It efficiently, if not deftly, skims over Internet crime, Web voyeurism, loss of privacy and the not-yet-fading film phenomenon of "torture porn" in a brisk, exciting 98-minute thriller.

Software colossus proves it can still be nimble

So Microsoft is making a hostile bid for Yahoo. Has it come to this? Is Microsoft's innovation engine so dead that the only way it can grow is to buy other companies?

Office Live Small Business, or OLSB, is a centralized Web site where you can set up all of those small-business things - a Web site, an online ad campaign, e-mail promotions, in-company communications - all by yourself, even if you're not very technical.

Police: Home-Based Casino Dealt In Nudity, High Stakes

MIDDLETOWN, Del. -- Police said Tuesday they raided a home where they said much more than strip poker was being played.

Internet eBay Hit Hard by Boycott, Refuses to Change

I used to leave positive feedback just for paying and this would happen quite frequently for items that were packaged properly and working items. I think that a positive/negitive feedback from a buyer is a recept that that the transaction is complete and then I will leave a feedback how the buyer kept their part of the deal. The point is there is alot more to a transaction than just paying. I do not argue that some sellers have abused the system but not to the scale and cost that buyers have, some things break and need refunded. However when someone frys the processor you sent its upsetting as they just dont break. When one item is broken just to get a refund it costs all profits on many other auctions. So being able to leave feedback to the buyer who demands $50 refund just because on something or they will give you negitive feedback is important as one negitive feedback can cost you much more than that for a small seller so you must do it or fear a negitive feedback and lost profits.

Winning the Credit Card Game

It seems the better people get at paying off their credit card balances each month, the nastier the companies get. Why? This is because the better you are at paying off your balance every month, the less profit for the company. Companies are responding by becoming more creative in finding ways to make money off of you. Thus, it is more important than ever to master the rules of the game.

Are you what the credit card companies call a revolver -- someone who carries a balance -- or are you a freeloader, someone who pays off their balance every month? With any luck, you are a freeloader.

Topsail chamber readies for tourist season

SURF CITY — The Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is ramping up its effort to provide more information about the area to residents, businesses and tourists. In addition to launching a "Chamber Communicator" newsletter and a redesigned Web site, a new logo and freshly painted and furbished work space has brightened the tourism’s office as part of its preparation for peak tourist season, according to chamber officials. Business manager Suellen Brooks said she put a great deal of effort into the revamped Web site, www.topsailcoc.com. She said the site is more user-friendly and informative, and she thinks its visitors will enjoy the area photographs posted. "We think the photos will really attract people to the site, and we are thinking of changing those quarterly," Brooks said.

Daily Blabber Celebrity Gossip Blog from iVillage Entertainment

According to his spokesperson, the singer/actor/dimple-er is engaged to his girlfriend, stylist Tameka Foster.