Category — Green/LEEDS

INMAN NEWS REPORTS, the 10 year T bill is stuck at 3.55%,  fixed rate mortgages are still at almost 5.5%, and the 30 year T bond at 4.44%.

With the Fed printing money (i.e. ‘quantitative easing’ by the Fed buying treasuries) and doing everything it possibly can to create inflation, people shouldn’t be surprised bond and mortgage interest are more than 6.5% higher than the rate of inflation deflation.

Message to Obama:  heh, the $2 trillion the Treasury has to borrow by selling T bills and bonds to finance the national debt, the $1.8 trillion deficit and Stimulus, only 7% disbursed, ain’t agonna happen without higher interest rates ’cause the foreigners expected to buy ain’t a’ buyin’.

An’ if Bernake keeps a’ buyin’ Ts from the left Treasury pocket ($1 trillion this year) to put in the right Fed pocket ($2 trillion more) it will provoke foreigners ta’ mutiny an’ throw the dollar in the pond, ’cause it won’t be worth nothin’.

Obama: Everyone In The Water Now!!

AVERAGE UTILITY BILLS in California will increase by 25% next year, and for mid-to high use single family home customers (which is most of us) by 30%.

Utility bills nationally will increase by 9.8% on average.  Californians will pay five times the national average for gas and electricity.

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Popular Mechanics explores the world of deck materials here.

Although redwood is by far the number one decking in California, this is changing.  Trex and other “plastic” deck material manufacturers are a growing share of the market.  Plastic polyurethane decking material is about the same price as redwood, and will last forever… or err… for a very long time.  I prefer Trex over redwood for decking material.

CALIFORNIA.gov has home energy savings tips at Flex Your Power to save the planet, and your pocket book.  Personally, I like saving money, and then saving the planet.  Somehow, I think the two are related.

Consumer’s Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is the first place to look for home energy savings tips.  This site maintained by the fed makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about some types of federal spending.