What drives diesel fuel prices?

Historically, gasoline has commanded a premium over diesel, but that changed in mid-to-late 2007, when diesel rose above gasoline. In 2007 and 2008, however, gasoline traded higher than diesel only 21.1 percent of the time. This deviation from historic norms raises an interesting question--what drives diesel prices? As with virtually all petroleum-derived products, the story begins with oil prices. Seasonal patterns also play a significant role. Demand for a range of oil-based products changes with the weather, and prices fluctuate as refiners adjust their output mix. Government regulations are another source of price variability. Earlier this decade, new standards aimed at reducing diesel fuel's sulfur content required further processing that increased refinery costs and prices for consumers. Finally, short-term changes in supply and demand--including imports--factor into pricing on a day-to-day basis. Our model suggests that spot diesel should rise 25 cents a gallon over the next six months and 41 cents a gallon over the next 18 months.Petroleum products - Prices ; Petroleum industry and trade ; Energy consumption ; Econometric models

The influence of Scotland in American cabinet making

Every field of the decorative arts in colonial and early America is infused with Scottish culture - from furniture, textiles and weaponry to silver, jewellery, glass and ceramics. Making for America is a fascinating study of the transatlantic relationship between Scottish craftsmanship and the emigrant workers of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries who embraced a new life in America. About the conference: In October 2009 scholars from both sides of the Atlantic gathered in the Winterthur Museum in Delaware to discuss themes of commerce, craftsmanship and immigration in an age of colonial expansion - from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Kilmarnock to Charleston, Connecticut and Philadelphia. They examined the variety of goods made, desired and needed in the new world. Many of those goods are described and illustrated here for the first time, leading to a greater understanding of the material culture of Scotland and America in the early modern world

The Principal Pipeline: A Qualitative Exploration of Strategies for the Recruitment and Retention of Black Male Public School Principals

Given the recent decline in the number of Black male principals, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the teacher-to-principal pipeline recruitment process and retention strategies for Black male principals from the perspective of Black male principals in two urban school districts. Nine current and retired Black male principals from the New York City and Washington, DC public school districts were interviewed. Prior to becoming principals, these nine participants worked as teachers and as assistant principals. There were seven major findings: these nine participants (a) were unaware of any specific initiatives used to recruit Black male principals, (b) believed that they were not dissuaded against becoming an principal, (c) expressed that having confidence is one of the important factors necessary for becoming a principal, (d) school districts should develop targeted recruitment initiatives for Black male (and other underrepresented) teachers, (e) believed that there were not any targeted initiatives in their districts to retain the current Black male principals, (f) agreed that there is an overall lack of representation of Black male principals, and (g) school districts should develop and implement targeted retention initiatives for current Black male principals. Implications for future research, training programs, policy development, and practice were discussed