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Audition to buy Kara DioGuardi’s house	3/13/2010 2:00 AM
Also: Joe Sebok and Kristan Cunningham design over Twitter, Facebook; TV writers Krista Vernoff and Kevin Maynard list in Los Feliz; former Robert Redford home in Malibu for sale. Prolific songwriter and " American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi's Spanish-style home in the Hollywood Hills is on the market at $1,649,000.
Contemporary serenity in Bel-Air	3/14/2010 2:00 AM
Sweeping views and passive green elements set apart the contemporary design by Hermosa Beach architect Patrick Killen. A sweeping view of the Getty Center and the Santa Monica Mountains can be seen from a contemporary home in Bel-Air that features a passive green design.
IRS tells homeowners how to get tax relief if a lender forgives part of their debt	3/14/2010 2:00 AM
Reduction of mortgage principal, usually considered taxable income, is expected to become more prevalent as the Obama administration and banks seek ways to prevent foreclosures. With the Obama administration and private lenders actively considering mortgage-principal-reduction programs to help financially distressed homeowners, the Internal Revenue Service has issued an advisory to taxpayers who receive -- or seek to receive -- such assistance if it's offered.
Home of the Week update	3/14/2010 2:00 AM
Craftsman meets modern
Permanently modified mortgages grow by 45%, government says	3/13/2010 2:00 AM
In February, the number of homeowners with permanently reduced monthly payments grew to 168,708, the Obama administration reports, and 91,483 more trial modifications are approved. The Obama administration Friday said its mortgage modification program continued to make progress, with the number of homeowners receiving permanently reduced monthly payments in February increasing by 45% to 168,708.
Average 30-year mortgage rate drops to 4.95%, Freddie Mac says	3/12/2010 2:00 AM
The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 4.95% this week from 4.97% last week, Freddie Mac said Thursday.
Fewer homes enter foreclosure process in February	3/11/2010 2:00 AM
Some experts say the 2% drop from January stems from banks' efforts to keep owners in their homes. The number of homes caught up in some stage of the foreclosure process in February fell 2% from the previous month to 308,524, a real estate firm will report Thursday.
Interest in buying state offices in California is building	3/8/2010 2:00 AM
The 24 buildings being offered, including two in L.A., are drawing global investors. The sale is also being criticized for the loss of long-term capital assets in favor of short-term gains. Efforts to sell 24 state office buildings have drawn lots of interest from potential buyers -- as well as the ire of some former public officials who labored to get them built years ago in the belief that public ownership of the buildings would bring long-term financial benefits to taxpayers.
KB Home backdating case has high stakes for prosecutors	3/8/2010 2:00 AM
They seek to punish ex-CEO Bruce Karatz, but also to improve the record of a massive stock-options crackdown that so far has yielded few convictions. Two months after the federal government's criminal cases against Broadcom Corp.'s top executives collapsed, the U.S. attorney's office is taking aim at another stock-options backdating target: former KB Home chief Bruce Karatz.
Braving a dismal apartment market	3/7/2010 2:00 AM
Depressed apartment market attracts adventurous investors It's a cold winter for apartment investors in Los Angeles County: Rents are down, prices have fallen and vacancies are way up.

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Red Menace: Stop the Ug99 Fungus Before Its Spores Bring Starvation	3/14/2010 10:00 PM
Its spores ride the wind, wiping out wheat crops and breaching science's best defenses. Inside the race to stop the Ug99 fungus.
New Phones Still Sold With Old Versions of Android	3/14/2010 10:00 PM
Google has been cranking out new versions of Android operating system faster than handset makers can keep up with. As a result, the latest Android phones to hit the stores carry an older version of the OS, which means consumers often have no access to new apps or features.
March 15, 1985: Dot-Com Revolution Starts With a Whimper	3/14/2010 10:00 PM
A Massachusetts computer company buys the first domain name, and gets the .com ball rolling.
IPad, SchmiPad: 10 E-Readers and Tablets You Can Get Right Now	3/14/2010 10:00 PM
The iPad may not be out for several weeks, but there are still some excellent choices if you're looking for a tablet-like device for reading e-books. We compare 10 recent e-readers and tablets.
Gallery: 10 Damn-Near Perfect Cars	3/14/2010 10:00 PM
Autopia selects 10 car designs that have stood the test of time.
Cash for Geeks: Kickstarter Connects Projects With Patrons	3/14/2010 10:00 PM
If dipping into your life savings to develop that great idea or project isn't an option (as in, you don't have savings), the crowdsourced fundraising service called Kickstarter just might be your only financial hope.
Gowalla Tops Foursquare at SXSW Web Awards (But Benson Smokes 'em All)	3/14/2010 8:43 PM
Winners are all over the map at South by Southwest's 13th annual awards ceremony honoring the internet's best and brightest. Thank god for host Doug Benson's satirical jabs at the contenders.
Internet 'In Running' for Nobel Peace Prize: BBC	3/14/2010 3:19 PM
'The internet' is in the running for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. Modesty does not prevent us from reporting that the internet's candidacy was championed by the Wired for advancing 'dialogue, debate and consensus.'
Demotix Hooks DIY Journos Into Mainstream	3/14/2010 2:46 PM
A new type of wire service acts as a middleman between freelancers and big media companies, with the aim of firing up free speech in the Middle East and other regions.
SXSW Keeps Austin Weird, Wired and Wild	3/13/2010 11:08 PM
Geeks party like rock stars at South by Southwest's interactive and film festivals. A photo tour of the Saturday night scene.

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