Chicago Teachers Vote to End Strike

Chicago's first teachers strike in 25 years will come to an end after a week and a half when the teachers union's delegates today decided to return to school Wednesday.

Public school teachers emerged from a delegates meeting this evening and revealed that a huge majority had elected to suspend a walk-out that had dragged on for seven school days and featured bitter disagreements between teachers and the city of Chicago.

It had appeared that the strike was nearing an end Sunday, after both sides said Friday that they had settled on the framework for a new labor agreement. But to the surprise of many, the teachers decided to stay on strike Sunday, claiming that they needed more time to assess the deal.

The move infuriated Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who filed an injunction Monday to end the strike. However, Emanuel's move was not successful and it took until the delegates' meeting today for the union to call off the walk-out on their own terms.

The strike, the city's first in more than two decades, had kept some 29,000 public school teachers and 350,000 students out of the classroom. For the last week and a half, students had gone to "safe haven" sites during the school day.

The two main sticking points in the talks had been the city's new proposed teacher evaluation system and the process for re-hiring laid off teachers.

The teachers' union had argued that the proposed evaluation system would emphasize students' standardized test scores too heavily and unfairly penalize teachers, while the district countered that the system already includes input from teachers and can be adjusted to change the weighting of the test scores.

In the end that is just what the district did, reducing the emphasis on student testing and making the evaluation system more forgiving for teachers.

The negotiations featured a bitter back-and-forth battle between Emanuel, whom the teachers portrayed as a bully, and union president Karen Lewis, whom the city denounced for overseeing what they felt was an unnecessary strike.

After the teachers elected to return to school, Lewis told reporters that "we feel very positive about moving forward" and "grateful that we have a united union." Lewis said "98 percent" of the delegates at the meeting today wanted to return to school.

Lewis said that while the strike is suspended, teachers have not officially signed off on the new deal. It could take up to two weeks for the union's members to do so, she said, but the decision to end the strike was a clear-cut one.

Emanuel praised the proposed contract as one that will really help Chicago's children.

"This settlement is an honest compromise," he said at an evening press conference following the teachers' announcement. "It means returning our schools to their primary purpose: the education of our children. It means a new day and a new direction for Chicago public schools. In this contract we gave our children a seat at the table.

"In past negotiations taxpayers paid more but our kids got less," he said. "This time our taxpayers are paying less and our kids are getting more."

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-teachers-vote-end-strike-225257779--abc-news-topstories.html

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Israel military holds largest snap drill in years

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Wal-Mart drops plans for 1st-ever NYC store in Brooklyn

By Martinne Geller, Reuters

(Updated 5:49 p.m. Eastern) Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday it had failed to reach a deal with a developer to have a store in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood, dealing the company a setback in its attempt to open its first location in the largest U.S. city.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, had been in talks with Related Companies to open a store that would have anchored the Gateway Two Plaza development in Brooklyn. A Shop Rite supermarket will instead occupy that space.

In a statement, Wal-Mart said it would continue to look for a site, adding that most New Yorkers want the discount giant to open a store in their city.

"We remain committed to bringing new economic development and shopping options to New York City, especially in the neighborhoods that need them most," Steven Restivo, Wal-Mart's senior director of community affairs, said in the statement.

Wal-Mart has faced opposition from some groups in New York that say it does not pay its workers adequately and would drive out small local businesses.?

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Source: http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/14/13867546-wal-mart-drops-plans-for-first-ever-new-york-city-store-in-brooklyn?lite

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Why Do People Hate the Military?

I have been in the United States Air Force for almost a year now. I recently got back from a six month tour in Iraq and spent last week in Hollywood, CA, doing the whole tourist thing. You should know that I am fiercely proud to be in the military and that I wore my uniform everywhere I went.

Here's what bothers me; about half of the people I met either thanked me or simply didn't care about my uniform. But the other half... they were downright nasty. I was verbally assaulted and abused several times, and one woman even spit on me. I simply ignored them and continued on my way, but it really bothered me inside. Another woman called me a baby-killer, and when I informed her that I have never killed a single person in my life and likely never would since I was a mechanic, she scoffed and said "All men in the military are baby-killers!"

Now, I understand that Hollywood is a very liberal place, that not everybody is like that, and that some people just have a real problem with the military. But I want to know what would possess someone to go up to a soldier they've never met and start calling them names and accusing them of something they've never done. Why are these people so rude and inconsiderate?

What do you think of people who act in that fashion? And what are your thoughts on the military in general?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/KVvU8tvPppw/viewtopic.php

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Karl Urban Has Some Ideas for Dredd Sequels

When writer Alex Garland was asked about the possibility of a sequel to the upcoming reboot Dredd, his response included everything from talk of a trilogy, to what potential villains and heroes he would like to see in future Dredd films. Unfortunately, Alex Garland has quite a busy schedule coming up, and would most likely not be able to see his vision of the Dark Judges or Satanus come to fruition.

One member of the Dredd production that will hopefully be involved with the property in the future ? if it proves successful ? is Judge Dredd himself, Karl Urban. Urban has been a staple of the sci-fi and fantasy film genres for quite some time ? starring in everything from Lord of the Rings to Star Trek ? but it?s Dredd that many fans hope will push him further into the role of action star.

Speaking with IGN, Urban delivers a few hints as to where he would like to see future Dredd films go, and it?s quite a unique counterpoint to the types of ideas Garland was looking to explore. Rather than delve deeper into the IPC Media?s comic rogues gallery, Urban wants to further explore the psyche of Judge Dredd ? an obvious choice given he plays the character.

Urban only briefly mentions what that exploration might entail ? saying that he?d like to see Dredd question the ?big lie? ? but it?s certainly exciting territory for longtime fans.?In the 2000 AD comics, the ?big lie? is the belief that the Judges know what?s best for humanity. Their role as judge, jury, and executioner is one of the more unique qualities of the Dredd storyline, but it also becomes a source of internal conflict for the character of Judge Dredd.

Unable to deal with the ?big lie? any longer, Dredd takes what is known in the comics as the ?long walk? ? a form of exile whereby a judge relinquishes their title and leaves Mega-City One. However, Dredd can?t keep from protecting Mega-City One for too long, especially after the Dark Judges start bringing their own form of justice. There are some of the same elements Garland talked about exploring contained within the concept of the ?big lie,? but Urban contextualizes them with the character of Dredd, rather than the exciting story beats audiences look forward to.

Obviously in order to see this storyline through properly, we would hope that Urban had a few more Judge Dredd films under his belt ? a proposition he is wholly prepared for. Though, if this film were to be a ?one-off? and exist simply as a cult-classic, the actor says he would be ?okay? with that too.

In addition to talk of future storylines, Urban also gave his thoughts on the idea of Dredd removing his iconic helmet somewhere down the road. Though the fact Dredd?s mysterious identity is a major selling point for the first film, the actor says he can see the character removing the helmet at some point in the future. But, in order to preserve the spirit of the comics, Urban hopes that some part of his (Dredd?s) face would remain hidden.

With only ten days left until the release of Dredd in theaters, comic book fans are chomping at the bit to see how the cast and crew portray the classic character. Trailers for the film have done their best to set the film apart from the 1995 Sylvester Stallone vehicle, but shaking that memory is going to be easier said than done.

Dredd releases in theaters on September 21, 2012.

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Source: IGN

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1925884/news/1925884/

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First Circuit holds that dec page cannot create ambiguity in flood policy

In McGair v. Am. Bankers Ins. Co., __ F.3d __, 2012 WL 3793130 (1st Cir. 2012), the First Circuit Court of Appeals held that the terms of a declarations page do not create an ambiguity in a flood insurance policy.

The McGairs purchased a flood insurance policy from American Bankers Insurance Company. The policy was part of the federal flood insurance program about which I've written previously. Under the program, private insurers issue and administer flood policies and claim payments are reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA provides a standard text for the policies, which are called Standard Flood Insurance Policies, or SFIPs.

The policy stated that it is provided "under the terms of the National Flood Insurance Act," and that it "cannot be changed nor can any of it provisions be waived without the express written consent of the Federal Insurance Administrator."

SFIPs limit coverage for personal property in basements. (According to the court in McGair, the limitation "serves to encourage construction that minimizes the risk of flooding (e.g., elevated foundations and buildings without basements.)" I'll have to suspend my disbelief on that one.)

In 2010 a flood damaged the McGairs' house and personal property in their basement. They sought compensation from American Bankers. American Bankers denied the claim, asserting the basement contents were not covered.

The McGairs sued, arguing that the Declarations Page created an ambiguity as to the scope of their policy. The Declarations Page indicated that the McGairs have a finished basement and that the contents of their home are located in the "basement and above." It provides that the contents of the home are covered by the policy up to $100,000 and identifies none of the SFIP limitations. The parties agreed that the information was used by American Bankers for the purpose of calculating premiums.

The court held, "there can be no ambiguity between the SFIP and the McGair's Declaration page because the terms of the SFIP control . . . Thus, as a matter of law, any discrepancy between the SFIP and an accompanying Declarations Page must be resolved in favor of SFIP."

Source: http://insurancecoveragemassachusetts.blogspot.com/2012/09/first-circuit-holds-that-dec-page.html

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Despite reform, Turkmens told to exalt late autocrat's book

ASHGABAT (Reuters Life!) - The president of the Central Asian state of Turkmenistan on Wednesday suggested there were limits to his desire to reform, urging the nation to honour a book written by his predecessor, one of the world's most eccentric autocrats.

Seeking warmer ties with the West as he seeks alternative gas export routes to cut his country's dependence on Russia, Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has begun to slowly unwind his predecessor's policies amid some signs he is ready to gradually allow more freedom.

Turkmenistan holds the world's fourth-largest natural gas reserves and multi-national energy companies have assiduously tried to court its government for access in recent years.

But in a move that suggested radical political change may be some way off, Berdymukhamedov on Wednesday exhorted his nation to treasure the "holy book" authored by Saparmurat Niyazov, the country's first post-Soviet leader who was famous for renaming the months of the year after members of his own family.

Praising its take on Turkmenistan's "inimitable culture, peculiar way of life and rich spiritual world", he made it clear that the book - the "Rukhnama" - would still remain the centrepiece of Turkmen society.

"The Rukhnama has helped the world to learn about the numerous great states built by our nation throughout its history," he said in a written address to the nation marking "Rukhnama Day".

"The Rukhnama will continue to serve as a spiritual source that multiplies our energy and strength."

Berdymukhamedov, a 55-year-old qualified dentist with a penchant for sports cars and riding thoroughbred horses, is officially nicknamed "Arkadag" or The Patron and wields virtually unlimited powers.

But Niyazov, who died of heart failure in 2006 and ruled his reclusive Central Asian nation for more than two decades, was widely regarded as one of the world's most bizarre and strict autocrats.

Officially titled "Turkmenbashi", or Head of the Turkmen, he published the Rukhnama in 2001 and made it central to all aspects of life in the country.

It replaced history lessons in schools and knowledge of the book was even made mandatory for anyone who wanted to obtain a driving licence.

The book, a mixture of folklore, morality, autobiography and history written in oracular style, glorifies the Turkmen as a 5,000-year-old nation which founded 70 states and empires.

Niyazov's reign was marked by a ban on opera, circus and ballet in the desert nation of 5.5 million people.

He renamed the months of the year after national symbols or family members, cut the length of school and university studies and banned studying abroad.

Berdymukhamedov has moved to gradually unwind some of his predecessor's policies.

He has allowed wide access to the Internet, let Turkmen citizens study abroad and restored the National Academy of Sciences abolished by his predecessor. Opera and circus - but not classical ballet - have also returned.

In the field of education, secondary school pupils study for 10 years, rather than nine under Niyazov, and undergraduate students spend five years, rather than three, at university.

Compulsory daily Rukhnama drills in schools have been reduced to one hour a week and school-leavers no longer have to pass exams on knowledge of the book. The month of September, renamed Rukhnama by Niyazov, has also been given back its original name.

(Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/despite-reform-turkmens-told-exalt-autocrats-book-160020616.html

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