TEXT:Apple announced one of its products would be laid to rest as of September 30.“Apple has a service right now called Ping. Are you not familiar with it? You're not alone if you're not. it is sort of supposed to be a social networking for iTunes.”Ping launched in September of 2010, but just never really took off. Apple CEO Tim Cook told All Things D in May that the service wasn’t used too strongly.“We tried Ping, and I think the customer voted and said ‘This isn’t something that I want to put a lot of energy into.’”Ping seems to be the least mourned Apple service to be shut down.PC Mag reports, “Looks like the approximately five people who use Apple's Ping social network are going to have to find another place to talk about music.”The Vancouver Sun says “Apple is finally killing Ping.”and finally The Register says ... “Ding dong, the Ping is dead! Apple brings in Facebook for iTunes”TechCrunch report s Ping will be replaced in an iTunes upgrade.

【Chicago Teachers Continue Strike as Mayor Seeks Injunction】

TEXT：After a week of striking in the nation’s third-largest school district, Chicago teachers announced Sunday they plan to continue — a decision Chicago Public Schools Board President David Vitale called “disappointing.”

VITALE, VIA WGN : “Our kids cannot be used as pawns in internal union disagreements. Every day the students are out of the classroom is a day that they lose."

And now — Mayor Rahm Emanuel is filing a court injunction to force an end to the strike, in a statement saying:

“... there is no reason why the children of Chicago should not be back in the classroom. ..”

Union president Karen Lewis says teachers aren’t happy with the agreement as is — and say they probably won’t vote to end the strike until Tuesday or later so members could go over the contract offer. (VIDEO FROM ABC )

CNN : “This is 180-page document and they want a couple days to digest it, to have discussions with their membership. So it’s not that the deal is dead, they just want more time.”

According to the Chicago Tribune , the proposed deal includes:

- A 3-year contract , with an optional 4th year
- 3 percent raises in years 1 and 4
- 2 percent raises in years 2 and 3

Teacher evaluations would also reportedly be eased, and select teachers who’ve been laid off could be recalled. The union has more than 700 delegates, but they can only end the strike — not approve the contract... that will go to a full membership vote.

zNJu*(!A7C.cE*+~vZknFm.6f=]YWZjf8U#l36IIrIOGEFkglD 来源:可可英语 http://www.kekenet.com/menu/201209/200530.shtml