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Daily Archives: October 11, 2014

Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook

  • EIA projects average U.S. household expenditures for natural gas, heating oil, electricity, and propane will decrease this winter heating season (October 1 through March 31) compared with last winter, which was 11% colder than the previous 10-year average nationally. Projected average household expenditures for propane and heating oil are 27% and 15% lower, respectively, because of lower heating demand and prices. Lower heating demand and higher prices contribute to natural gas and electricity expenditures that are 5% and 2% lower than last winter (see EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook and Winter Fuels Outlook slideshow).
  • Driven in large part by falling crude oil prices, U.S. regular gasoline retail prices fell to an average of $3.41/gallon (gal) in September, 29 cents below the June average. U.S. regular gasoline retail prices are projected to continue to decline to an average of $3.14/gal in December. EIA expects U.S. regular gasoline retail prices, which averaged $3.51/gal in 2013, to average $3.45/gal in 2014 and $3.38/gal in 2015.
  • Weakening global demand helped North Sea Brent crude oil spot prices fall to an average of $97 per barrel (bbl) in September, the first month Brent prices have averaged below $100/bbl in more than two years. EIA projects that Brent crude oil prices will average $98/bbl in fourth-quarter 2014 and $102/bbl in 2015. The WTI discount to Brent, which averaged $11/bbl in 2013, is expected to average $7/bbl in both 2014 and 2015.”

Common Core State Standards: Frequently Asked Questions

CRS Report – Common Core State Standards: Frequently Asked Questions. Rebecca R. Skinner, Specialist in Education Policy; Jody Feder, Legislative Attorney. September 15, 2014. “Over the last two decades, there has been interest in developing federal policies that focus on  student outcomes in elementary and secondary education. Perhaps most prominently, the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001… Continue Reading

FISHWATCH – U.S. Seafood Facts

“Today, 91 percent of seafood consumed in the United States is imported, and about half of this is wild-caught. Because of our interests both as a seafood-consuming nation and a fishing nation, it is critical that NOAA take an active role in shaping the conservation and management of international fisheries. For U.S. consumers of imported… Continue Reading

UH Law Center debuts first database of Fortune 500 company codes of conduct

“The University of Houston Law Center today released a searchable database that contains the compliance codes for Fortune 500 companies.  The project was led by Houston attorney Ryan McConnell, an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center. McConnell worked with a team of recent graduates and current students to develop the database, which… Continue Reading

Human Rights Protection During Armed Conflict: What, When, and for Whom?

Scobbie, Iain, Human Rights Protection During Armed Conflict: What, When, and for Whom? (October 7, 2014). Erika de Wet & Jann Kleffner (eds), Convergence and Conflicts of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in Military Operations (Pretoria University Law Press, Pretoria) Forthcoming. Available for download at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2506793 “This essay seeks to examine some of… Continue Reading

Report claims NSA has operatives in foreign communications companies

“The National Security Agency has had agents in China, Germany, and South Korea working on programs that use “physical subversion” to infiltrate and compromise networks and devices, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. The documents, leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, also indicate that the agency has used “under cover” operatives to gain access to… Continue Reading