EIA

This winter's weather is forecast to be milder than last year's, but many Americans will get a cold chill when they open their heating bills. Average household spending for the season will rise for natural gas and propane, and those who use heating oil will see their highest winter bills ever.

You probably have heard that the U.S. is the world's largest consumer of oil. But did you know that we're also the third-largest producer of oil? And yes, the U.S. imports more than half its oil. But our two biggest suppliers are our nearest neighbors.

The Dubai debt default seems to have inspired a bit of fear in the U.S. But is there any real reason for it? U.S. banks have minimal exposure to Dubai's debts -- most of the banks that would suffer if Dubai defaulted are located in the Middle East. Nevertheless, U.S. markets fell 1.7% Friday during...