The state Department of Revenue late Monday changed its stand on how so-called "short sales" of financially distressed properties should be taxed.

The new rule will provide relief to families and individuals who are forced to sell their homes to avoid foreclosure.

Department of Revenue communications director Mike Gowrylow said the department will now only levy taxes on the actual sale price of the property not on the amount the owners owed.

Under short sales plans, families who've seen the value of their homes decline below the amount they owe on them negotiate with their bank to sell the house. The bank agrees to accept the sale price in satisfaction of their loan even if it is less than the loan balance.

The Department of Revenue was imposing the real estate excise tax not on the sales price but on the larger loan value. In most of Pierce and King counties, the excise tax rate is 1.78%.

The old interpretation of the law could mean considerable extra taxes for the seller.

If a family, for instance, owed $400,000 on a home but received only $350,000 in a short sale, the difference in taxes on the $50,000 difference in the loan value and the sale price would have been $890.

Greg Wright, president of the Washington Association of Realtors, said taxing the loan value caused many short sales to fail. Realtors met with the department Monday to argue the case for taxing the lower amount. The Realtors were prepared to ask the Legislature to change the law if the department had not changed its interpretation.

Gowrylow said the department now views the homeowner's arrangment with the bank on loan foregiveness as a separate transaction from the home sale and thus not subject to the tax.

The department spokesman said those who paid the higher tax on the loan value can apply for refunds from the department.

The form to claim that refund is available on the department's Web site at http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/forms/RealEstExcsTx/RealEstExTxRefundReq.pdf

Had problems with Dell-provided financing promotions, rebate offers, technical support or repairs? You may be eligible for a financial rebate under a settlement reached with the computer company by attorneys general in 34 states.

Under the agreement Dell admits no wrongdoing, but agrees to pay up to $1.5 million in restitution for eligible aggrieved Dell consumers if they file complaints postmarked by April 13, 2009.

Washington and Connecticut jointly led an investigation into Dell's sales practices after customers complained on an array of different issues, said Washington Assistant Attorney General Katherine Tassi.

Some of those complaints concerned Dell's offers of zero-interest financing. Other concerned warranty service on Dell computers. Some customers complained they never received promised rebates.

Dell also agreed to a new set of policies on financing and credit offers, warranties and service as part of the settlement.

The number of Washington Dell customers who may be eligible for rebates isn't yet known. Consumers who bought computers between April 1, 2005 and April 13, 2009 are potentially eligible.

Potential claimants may download a claim form at http://atg.wa.gov/unloadedFiles/Another/Safeguarding_Consumers/DellClaimforminstructions.pdf. They may also obtain a form by calling 1-800-551-4636 between 10 a.m and 3 p.m. weekdays.

Finding a Wii Fit - even two weeks after Christmas - is tough. Stores around Tacoma sell out minutes after they get shipments. Online searches yield no luck.

The Wii Fit allows you to do yoga, ski and other fitness activities using the Wii game console system.

The industry-tracking NPD Group predicts that Nintendo sold about 1 million Wii Fit devices in December, according to Gamespot.com. NPD also predicts Nintendo sold 3.2 million Wii consoles during the same month. These Nintendo products were the hottest selling gift item in 2008.

Last spring, Amazon.com introduced a new TextBuyIt service that allows customers to buy things via text message. For example: You could send a text to the company with the title of a book you wanted. The company would ship it to you.

Really Amazon is making it easier to buy things from the online seller.

Last week, I set up a text message alert on Amazon.com to let me know when the online store had Wii Fits available. Short of camping out at a Gamestop or Best Buy, there seemed no other way.

This morning at 11:41 a.m. Amazon sent me a message: "Wii Fits on sale at 12:00 p.m. PST with limited availability. Reply buyfit to order."

I replied "buyfit."

At 11:42 a.m.: "We have received your order for a Wii Fit. We will text you shortly to confirm whether or not your order was placed successfully."

At Noon: "Thanks for your order of Wii Fit for $97.91 with free Super Saver Shipping." Whoohoo. Wii Fit on its way.

Boeing rival Airbus has begun testing blended winglets on one of its A320 single-aisle aircraft.

The winglets, vertical wingtip extensions designed to save fuel and improve performance of jets, are designed and built by Seattle's Aviation Partners.

Aviation Partners blended wingtips are now standard equipment on most factory-build Boeing 737s and have been retrofitted to hundreds of 737s now in airline service.

A320 with blended wingtips

The wingtips gained popularity when fuel prices began to soar last year.

Airbus had previously tested wingtip extensions of its own design and those designed by another company but apparently concluded the fuel savings weren't worth the extra cost.

Major U.S. airlines have completed their second consecutive year of service without a fatality.

The Air Transport Association says a year without a death has happened only four times since 1958.

"That stellar record isn't something that came about by accident," said David Castelveter, ATA spokesman.

Improvements in air crew training, aircraft safety systems and mechanical reliability have all contributed to the good safety record.

A major accident at Denver International Airport during the holidays nearly erased that record.

A Continental Airlines Boeing 737 aborted a takeoff after having control issues and then slammed into a ditch causing a fire. Thirty-eight passengers were injured, but none was killed.

A statement released by the Shanghai Stock Exchange reports that China Eastern Airlines has signed an agreement with Boeing to buy 30 new 737 aircraft.

Boeing itself hasn't released confirmation of the deal.

At list prices, the deal is worth $1.94 billion though airlines routinely receive discounts on large orders.

The planes are to be delivered between 2011 and 2015.

SeaTac's Horizon Air could be flying to Portland and Spokane by as early as spring from Snohomish County's Paine Field, the Herald newspaper reports.

The county-owned airport, home of Boeing's wide-bodied assembly plant and a major aircraft overhaul operation, would see four daily roundtrips to Portland and two to Spokane.

The new flights would save residents north of Seattle the sometimes-agonizing vehicle trip from Snohomish County through downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport.

But the proposal to begin commercial air service from the former Air Force base has stirred up plentiful opposition from some local politicians, cities and nearby residents who say the commercial flights and the traffic they generate will hurt their neighborhoods.

Attorneys, however, have advised Snohomish County, that federal rules prohibit their banning commercial flights from the airport. Those same consulting attorneys have advised the county that building or expanding a terminal to meet airline needs would give the county greater control over airline service at the airport.

If the county refused to expand passenger facilities, the airlines could build their own terminals.

The field now records 376 aircraft operations a day, including test and delivery flights by aircraft built there such as the Boeing 747 and 777, far larger than the Bombardier Q400 aircraft Horizon would fly.

Allegiant Airlines has also proposed starting flight service from the field to Las Vegas using MD-80 jets.

Allegiant isn't as far along in its planning process for new service as Horizon.