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Released in May from EMP Label Group, Halfway There is a stunning return to form for legendary rock vocalist, Mark Slaughter. His new album channels the classic feel of early Slaughter albums like Stick it to Ya and The Wild Life while at the same time providing material with an adrenaline-fueled, twenty-first century appeal.
Slaughter also does a bit of soul-searching on the new release. Particularly on the album’s emotionally-driven title track. A ballad that’s easily on par with hits like “Fly To The Angels” and continues to showcase Slaughter as one of rock’s most recognizable and versatile artists.
AXS recently spoke with Mark Slaughter about the new single and more in this new interview.
AXS: “Halfway There” is your new single and the title track of your album released earlier this year. Can you tell me what inspired it?
Mark Slaughter: The concept I was speaking to with Bill Jordan [co-writer] was a song that talks about how things change as we get older. At this age, we’re all starting to lose our parents and many others around us. We thought this is where we are in life. So, we wanted to write a song that really got in there about what we’re going through. It hits the nail on the head.
AXS: How would you describe the new album in terms of its sound and how it relates to some of your previous work?
MS: There’s definitely an aspect of Slaughter in there. A lot of people don’t realize that Dana Strum and I wrote, produced and perform the music to this day. We’re the only guys from our genre that had that much control back then and still carry it. The records I’m doing now are ones where I’m in control and making the songs come across the best they can be.
AXS: What’s your songwriting process like?
MS: I usually write music first. I hear orchestras in my head and then follow the bouncing the ball with what the melody is. There’s something about how the song feels and how the melodic structure works that’s important to me. The lyrics usually come after the fact.
You can read the rest of my
Interview with Mark Slaughter by


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Southington Library: A Statewide Comparison
Prepared by: Susan Smayda, Executive Director, Southington Library & Museum
Source of Data: Connecticut’s Public Libraries: A Statistical Profile 2013-2014 Connecticut State Library
The charts provided here offer a comparison to regional libraries serving populations similar to Southington.
Staffing: Southingon ranks in the bottom 8% of Connecticut libraries when comparing full time equivalent staff. Of 178 libraries reporting, Southington Library ranks 164th or 14th from the bottom. See Chart #1 for a regional comparison.
Materials/Programs: Comparing per capita expenditure on materials (books, DVDs, books-on-tape, etc.) Southington Library is in the bottom 32% among Connecticut libraries [Chart #2]. We also fall far short in program expenditure per capita [Chart #3]
Facility: At 21,000 square feet Southington Library ranks in the bottom 8% in square feet per capita statewide. [Chart #4]
Service hours: Though we are among the lowest in staffing and materials expenditure, we are in the top 13% of Connecticut libraries when comparing the number of hours we are open each week [Chart #5].
Circulation: We are in the top 16% in items circulated per hour [Chart #6].

domain: library


The end of "The Vampire Diaries" Season 5 is getting near and actor Ian Somerhalder, who portrays Damon Salvatore in the show, confirmed on social networking site Twitter that filming just wrapped up. The Carter Matt report revealed that filming wrapped up a little bit earlier for "The Vampire Diaries" Season 5 compared to Season 4 so the cast members will have more opportunity to do other things.
End-of-season-5 insanity... Just wrapped. Good night beautiful world- miss you. See you soon
— ian somerhalder (@iansomerhalder) March 29, 2014
With his work on the CW TV series wrapped up, Ian can now keep himself busy with his other projects before the production for "The Vampire Diaries" Season 6 kicks off. Ian's other projects could be attending conventions worldwide to meet and greet the fans, new movies or focusing on charity work particularly on his Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF).
Ian Somerhalder, who is known for always using social media sites in raising environmental and animal issues, recently shared an Instagram video slamming Delta Airlines, the partner of Air France. According to the Ecorazzi report, the airline still flies animals that will be used as lab test subjects.
"They are put in the cargo holds in wooden crates and proceed to labs where they are legally tortured during tests," the report further revealed. Because of that, Ian Somerhalder gave his reaction on the issue of using animals in scientific research.
The TVD star was not featured in the video but he decided to share it to make a point. The video showed a number of protesters instead with the messages "Boycott Delta and Air France" and "Air France Stop Shipping Primates To Their Death" written on their placards.
Ian's non-profit organization raises funds so that the abused animals can have a sanctuary. The caption on the Instagram video that the heartthrob actor shared reads: "Wow. This is a bummer... Do we really need to test on animals still? We can send missions to mars yet we still test on animals-guess what? It's NOT NECESSARY!!!! We know this like we know the earth is round... Primates should be in trees. Not in labs."
In the meantime, fans can catch Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore in the CW TV series "The Vampire Diaries" Season 5 that resumes airing on Thursday night, April 17, with Episode 18 titled "Resident Evil" at 8 pm ET on the CW Network.
More Articles to Read:
'Vampire Diaries' Season 5 Spoilers: Enzo's Lady Love Maggie Makes First Appearance in Episode 19 Titled 'Man of Fire' - [READ]
Paul Wesley: 'Vampire Diaries' Actor Attend Humane Society Gala with Girlfriend Phoebe Tonkin of 'The Originals' - [READ]
'Vampire Diaries' Season 5 Spoilers: More Stefan-Caroline or 'Steroline' Moments in Episode 18 'Resident Evil?' Actor Paul Wesley Responds - [READ]


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How does a patient’s ethnic background affect matching?
When it comes to matching human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types, a patient’s ethnic background is important in predicting the likelihood of finding a match. This is because HLA markers used in matching are inherited. Some ethnic groups have more complex tissue types than others. So a person’s best chance of finding a donor may be with someone of the same ethnic background.
Please register and save a life. Register

domain: medical


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- EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass.
Pandora shares are up almost 20% in the past three trading sessions.
Rumors of CEO Tim Westergren leaving the company could allow Sirius-appointed board members to take the lead.
Stocks mixed as tech sector climbs.

domain: finance


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It’s been observed that History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. There seems to be echoes of similarity bouncing among lawsuits these day.
The shutuppery lawsuit that the big-time media has take some notice of is Shirley Sherrod’s defamation suit against Andrew Breitbart’s estate. J. Christian Adams writes about it here.
Sherrod’s lawsuit is premised on a dangerous idea: when conservatives speak about liberals, they shouldn’t be allowed to quote the liberal saying disgraceful things unless they quote the liberal also saying nice things. Supposedly, Andrew Breitbart’s Breitbart.com didn’t publish enough of the nice things Sherrod said, and thus Sherrod sued Andrew and Larry O’Connor (a Brietbart.com editor).
Let’s call it the not-enough-nice-context theory of defamation. They don’t teach it in law school, yet.
Sherrod’s defamation theory is dangerous to the free press
Read the whole thing. The Gentle Reader who has been following the lawsuits reported here at Hogewash! may see certain recurring themes.
One of the topics Shirley Sherrod’s lawyers wanted to know about in my deposition is who controls the comments to articles here at PJ Media.
UPDATE—Bad link fixed.
Oh that tail of yours. It hangs on Rabbits porch and mocks us all.
I have to wonder, though, how the judge will react to being given some very very very bad information from Kimberlin, information that anyone attempting due diligence could not get so wrong, and casting all sorts of aspersions on Ace based not only on a rather weak bit of hyperventilation about intention to “evade”, having seen Brett coming since 2004, but which wouldn’t relieve Brodie burden or prevent him from getting a subpoena (unless he failed the test) issued to two other sources.
He’s been warned not to mess around with facts or take statements or wording out of context – and he did so much of that.
He also wants two weeks to play and mull over arguments after demanding an injunction on a near-emergency basis, when he already knew about what was scheduled in the state case before he asked for the injunction. He just got a deadline and a set of restrictions he did not like.
When the judge finds out, as the judge will, that Brett has misrepresented substantial facts he used as a key support for his demands, how do you think he will handle it?
In another thread Roy suggested someone compare the attachment on PACER to what was mailed. I certainly wouldn’t put it past the tiny terrorist to “edit” Mr. Levy’s piece.
Of course, the defendants are well aware of tactics of Brett Kimberlin, the guy who married literally a child bride of barely 16 while he was in his 40’s – pedo pro-se pipsqueak that he is. [ugh] [shudder]
Again, if there can be a silver lining to this mess, it’s that local parents have better access to the information about Brett Kimberlin’s violent and felonious past and are better able to protect their children from his attentions. You know, like Julia Scyphers tried to do for her granddaughter before she was murdered by a known associate of Brett Kimberlin, director of Justice Through Music Project (JTMP).
Remember too, Aaron’s prediction: “By mid-August we will have a ruling that it is not defamation to call Brett Kimberlin a pedophile…”
I don’t know the judge. But if I have to guess, probably another sternly worded letter.
LOL, Well that accounts for a good deal Earl.
Oh, there’s plenty to not like – and that is plain unfair, imo. OTOH, there is also plenty to like.
Aaron tweeted that he’s close to publishing.
They really hate sec 230.
They are all Statist Totalitarian wannabe Dictators at heart. Ace is right when he talks about our ‘”intellectual superiors”‘ (I had to use British quotes to encapsulate the scare quotes); they really are nothing but pedigrees with no substance or value. Them dogs just can’t hunt.
In other words … SHUT UP!
Yes, exactly – one of their most often used phrases, often followed by “racist”!
Which is usually followed by the term “Koch Whore”.
Pingback: Greedy Redeemed Racist Shirley Sherrod | Batshit Crazy News
Reblogged this on Dead Citizen's Rights Society.
Link to article is wrong.
Here’s the PJ Media link: http://pjmedia.com/jchristianadams/2014/08/04/exclusive-inside-a-deposition-in-shirley-sherrods-speech-chilling-lawsuit-v-breitbart/
Interesting was the attacks on their counsel as well
Also – as Dustin pointed out somewhere – it was the Obama administration that overreacted and fired her without investigating and humiliated her, not Andrew. dustin and I think several other commentators at Patterico pointed out that Andrew’s initial story WAS NOT about Sherrod but the hypocrisy of an anti discrimination group founded to fight for equal rights were laughing at tales of discrimination.
And their reaction to what Sherrod was saying, was the horrorshow.
My impression, as I recall, was that the NAACP probably pressured the Administration to fire her in order to divert attention from their members.
I don’t think the lack of investigation had anything to do with it.
Sherrod herself reports that they said they wanted her resignation before Glenn Beck got on air at 5 PM. They made her pull off the road and resign.
We’re in the best of hands.
From the Bullyville complaint (gee, this all sounds so FAMILIAR somehow). A suspicious mind might see a shared strategy here among a broad range of players. So- called obsessions, claims of victimhood:
“95. Like @OccupyRebellion and her admitted alias @qritiq, Lipton has an obsession with right-
wingblogger Lee Stranahan. Stranahan is a small-time blogger, a fringe player, and not widely known, but Lipton, across all aliases, is obsessed with him. This obsession informs her use of the …Twitter accounts. It is one of several key identifiers.
96. Oddly, Lipton often takes the position as victim in these blogger wars, and asks that people remove defamatory tweets about her. She does this across accounts, crying foul, threatening to sue and then attacking in a manner quite similar across accounts, and quite similar to her conduct on the BVFiles.”
Gee that sounds like someone I’ve read about. Who is that keeps finding the “smoking gun” that guarantees a victory only to keep losing?
Via THE OTHER MCCAIN:
“People engaged in provocative online conduct feel insulated; they’re in the comfort of their own home, if they’ve engaged in a little bit of caution they may feel completely anonymous, and this emboldens them. Specifying the strategy we’ll use to break their anonymity won’t permit any mitigation on their part without adjusting their behavior, which counts as a win for us. We’re dealing with people who have likely had no interaction with the court system beyond a traffic ticket; the potential for a pro se litigant to force them into expensive, long distance, lengthy, discovery laden litigation doesn’t seem to cross their minds.”
– Neal Rauhauser (aka “Stranded Wind”), Aug. 29, 2010
“What I describe here is a textbook application of the principles of Open Source Intelligence. We’re going to observe, collect, and collate information. An orderly, professional effort here will counter the Open Source Stupidity we’re seeing from the radical right, providing an invaluable resource for civil and criminal actions.”
– Neal Rauhauser (aka “Stranded Wind”), Aug. 31, 2010
” If you morons would just forget Brett Kimberlin even exists and go about your lives, you would be happier and no one would be investigating. “
Nice to know the Deranged Cyberstalker and Adjudicated Harasser Bill Schmalfeldt stands by his words (for a change), thus admitting his “investigating” (his campaigns of stalking, harassment, and threats) is directly related to the sawed-off, domestic terrorist Brett Kimberlin, and Team Kimberlin, in general.
Not that there was ever any doubt, mind you.
That’s Fatboi’s journalism skills at work!
Perhaps that should be rewritten as:
If Biwwy would forget John Hoge, Lee Stranahan, OBN, etc even exist and go about his life, he would be happier and no one would be investigating.
That’s a keeper. I hope Judge Hazel gets to see this quote from the poor, put upon “journalist”.
I hope Judge Hazel doesn’t give a damn about Blob. He is irrelevant.
Self-professed “journalist” and “investigative reporter” admits he’s unable to make readers understand words he’s written.
The Deranged Cyberstalker and Adjudicated Harasser Bill Schmalfeldt made a stellar career choice. Good enough for Government work, I suppose.
Big. Dumb. Dope.
Lewis Carrol’s Humpty Dumpty from “Through the Looking Glass”? OMG he’s become self parodying. Whatever will Krendler do?
So a “journalist” is admitting he can’t write so that other people can know what he means? Somehow, I don’t think that’s what’s taught in journalism school, even today.
“…who controls the comments to articles here…” The rabble. The unwashed. The uncertified, unlicensed folks who have a right to comment. The people Shirley Sherrod was supposed to be serving when instead she was judging by the color of their skin.
We choose to control ourselves — or NOT control ourselves if that pleases us — as we comment on the issues of the day. Welcome to the 21st century.
By the magnanimous grace of our gentle host, who without endorsing allows each individual his/her own voice within generous limits of polite conversation.
Oh yes, of course. I was speaking generally of the great 21st century internet webs, where people can write a letter to the editor and generally expect to have others see it — barring libel, slander and crudities.
Don’t like what I write? Don’t sue Breitbart or Hoge.
Dave, Why can’t i post vegetable platters?
Gus, I guess that explains why I can make up a word and spell check goes along with it.
OMGosh! Your right, but i can still link!!!
https://ausixsepthuitsept.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/vegcrudite.jpg (safe link)
Ugh, PIMF; You‘re and I
Control is the key word. Leftists fight for it. They dream of it. They can’t even imagine a place where one does not control the thoughts, expressions, actions and resources of others. Yes, these lawsuits are a bit of shutuppery, but that is just the particular aspect of control at issue in the cases at hand. They also seek control in every other facet of life… right down to which insurance policy you are allowed to buy. It is the same madness, the same sickness and the same evil. The law just frowns on one type of it while embracing the other types. Some people just have trouble understanding where that line is drawn. Hopefully, the court will provide some instruction on that point to them this week.
Just a question here. Why does Brett Kimberlin accompany Bill Schmalfeldt to Bill Schmalfeldt’s court appearances?
The sawed-off diddler enjoys a good comedy show too, I guess. Along with glass bottom boat coffee table game..
He want’s to see how his legal briefs go over.
Probably for the gas money and laughs. When I sat behind the little terrorist he got a good chuckle every time the judge had to correct Schmalfeldt…and it was a lot of times. This was the hearing where he had a huge presentation all laid out. He tweeted about it for a long time before the hearing. SMOKING GUN! DOOMED! He doesn’t walk out of there with his PO intact. Humiliate him. I’m sure you remember those gems. And our hosts response…Res Judicata. Good times, good times. The diddler must have got his chuckle quotient that day.
The spidey sense is tingling. It’s sensing… a schmeltdown.
It could happen. After all, today is a day ending in y.
This is good news! BS’s health continues to improve. He has said that litigation was helping him, and he once more gives testimony to his continued improvement. Oops, there goes another counterclaim!
It IS Tuesday after all.
Plus his BF lost big in the letter order so more reason to scream and shout and try to distract from that.
nah, the next EPIC meltdown will come next week…
Prenda Law loses another appeal:
“We have carefully reviewed the record, and we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in imposing attorney-fee sanctions against appellants. The district court found that appellants initiated and pursued this litigation in bad faith, that the only purpose of the litigation was “to harass and burden Non-Parties through obtaining IP addresses to pursue possible settlement rather than proceed with potentially embarrassing litigation regarding downloading pornographic movies.” This is an improper use of the judicial system. ”
Good news. Could not have happened a more deserving bunch of “lier’s”
While reading the comments about “prenda law” found this little jewel.
I’m reminded of the selective editing NBC to did the Zimmerman tapes. Zimmerman’s lawsuit ended immediately in summary judgment against him.
That summary judgement was issued by a “judge” who had been removed from the criminal case (for cause, as I recall), and has never given Zimmerman a fair ruling. It’s being appealed.
True enough, the entire state apparatus of Florida has no intention of treating George Zimmerman fairly. Nevertheless, pointing out the disparate treatment helps both George Zimmerman and Team Lickspittle.
Since we are all link-happy today, here’s a fun one over at Popehat:
You should take a gander, Cousin Bill, and “govern yourself accordingly!”
This one is good, too: “First Queen filed DMCA takedown demands with Tumbler seeking the removal of examples of his art from their critical posts. This, to start, was bogus, censorious, and petty. Escher Girls’ posts are a classic example of Fair Use. ” http://www.popehat.com/2014/08/05/randy-queen-offers-comical-response-to-online-criticism-of-his-work-darkchylde/#more-22535
Sound like anyone else we know?
Reblogged this on That Mr. G Guy's Blog.

domain: law


Much of the time, when people buy products online, they're buying from a company that isn't paying Alabama any sales tax, Robicheaux said. And they're taking money away from local businesses that do.
"People will go into a camera shop, look at the merchandise, and ask all sorts of expert questions," said Robicheaux, a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Collat School of Business. "And then they say, thanks, I'll go buy it online."
Robicheaux estimates that the state is losing around $200 million per year in sales taxes to e-commerce. He's also an advocate for collecting that tax.
Lately, the mood in Montgomery has been swinging Robicheaux's way. Despite Alabama's reputation as an anti-tax state, leaders in the state capitol are sounding increasingly hopeful that Congress will pass the Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill that would allow states to tax online purchases from out-of-state companies such as Amazon.
The Alabama Legislature has already passed a bill to shunt most of the new tax money to the state's troubled General Fund -- assuming, of course, that Alabama gets to collect the tax. Gov. Robert Bentley has told the Associated Press that an online sales tax windfall, if it came, could pay for state employee pay raises he has proposed. And leaders in the Legislature increasingly mention the Marketplace Fairness Act first, when asked how to fix the state's budget woes.
"That could be something that would be very helpful to the General Fund," said House Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, of the potential new tax revenue.
"The idea that you don't owe sales tax when you buy things online is a myth that has been around a long time," said William Fox, a University of Tennessee professor who studies online sales taxes.
States are allowed to charge sales tax to any online seller that has a physical presence in the state. That means you're likely paying sales tax when you order online from Walmart or similar retailers, even if that tax is folded in with shipping and other charges.
"If the site asks for your ZIP code, it's probably so they can calculate the tax," said UAB’s Robicheaux.
For businesses that don't have a physical store or warehouse in-state, there's a similar tax called the consumer use tax. That tax has been around since the days of mail-order catalogs, but for the past 20 years, states have had a hard time collecting it. A 1992 Supreme Court ruling banned states from collecting consumer use tax from out-of-state sellers.
Technically, online shoppers are supposed to report and pay their consumer use tax on their state income tax returns. Almost no one does that. According to figures from the Alabama Department of Revenue, about half of businesses report consumer use tax when they buy from out of state businesses -- and only 1 percent of consumers do.
"There's a reason we collect income tax through the employer," Fox said. "It's easier to enforce when you have fewer entities to deal with."
The Marketplace Fairness Act would change the landscape, allowing the states to collect the money directly from the sellers, potentially giving states a huge boost in tax revenues.
Filling a hole
If lawmakers in Alabama seem unusually eager to collect that tax, they may have a good reason. There will soon be a big hole in the one of the state's budgets.
Most state functions are paid for through the General Fund, which draws its money from a hodgepodge of taxes and fees. Sales and income taxes, which grow and shrink with the economy, go into a separate budget just for schools.
The General Fund has become the state's problem child. Prison populations and Medicaid enrollment have grown significantly in recent years, but the $1.8 billion General Fund doesn't grow as fast. Two years ago, the state's voters agreed to raid a state trust fund for $437 million to shore up the fund for three years.
That money will run out in the 2016 fiscal year, which starts next October. That gives the state about a year and a half to fill a hole of around $150 million.
The state has already passed a law that would direct 75 percent of new revenue from online sales to the General Fund if the Marketplace Fairness Act passes.
That’s a big “if.” The act passed the U.S. Senate last year, according to the Associated Press, and has the support of President Barack Obama. It needs approval in the House before it can become law.
For some of the state’s budget leaders, though, the bill's passage is tantalizingly close. the Marketplace Fairness Act is the first thing some lawmakers mention when asked how the state will deal with the 2016 budget hole.
"We're still keeping our fingers crossed that Internet sales tax will get through Congress," said Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, chairman of the state House committee that oversees the General Fund budget.
Clouse said he expected an Internet sales tax to bring in somewhere between $125 million and $150 million.
Two years ago Robicheaux projected the state would lose between $176 million and $216 million in taxes to Internet sales in 2014. Today, thanks to the growth of e-commerce, he says the real numbers may exceed those projections. But there’s no guarantee that the Marketplace Fairness Act would bring all that money back to state governments.
Robicheaux said states would likely split some of the proceeds from the Marketplace Fairness Act with cities and counties, which are also losing tax money to the Internet. To keep online businesses from having to figure tax rates for every city, an Internet tax system would likely set up a single tax rate for each state, and would let the states work out formulas for dividing the money.
"If you order something in Montgomery, you might pay 8 percent, and the state and local governments would each take some of the money," Robicheaux said. Sales tax at brick-and-mortar retailers in Montgomery is 10 percent, including 4 percent statewide sales tax.
Fox, the University of Tennessee Internet tax expert, said collections under the Marketplace Fairness Act could fall significantly short of the amount of money the state is losing now.
In its current version, he said, the bill would exempt small retailers with revenues of less than $1 million each. Many large retailers, he said, are already paying sales tax because they have a physical presence in every state.
"We think this legislation applies to at most about 2,000 firms," Fox said.
The $1 million lower limit could help the bill get past critics who say that collecting consumer use tax would primarily be a burden on small businesses that rely on distant online sales to boost their business.
Cameron Smith, of the conservative Alabama Policy Institute, has been among those critics.
Smith said state officials are willing to support the tax because it’s a charge on out-of-state entities, not folks at home. He said supporters of the tax are not thinking about the other side of the issue -- web-based businesses here in Alabama, that could be paying more taxes to other states. While Alabama may not have as many large online retailers as other states, he said, that’s no reason to add a burden on the ones that exist.
"You could say that Alabama doesn't have as many online businesses," he said. "But why wouldn't we want more?"
Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, was an early advocate of shifting potential Internet sales tax to the General Fund, but he's not counting on the tax to rescue the General Fund.
"I can't plan on that type of event happening," said Orr, chair of the Senate committee that oversees the General Fund.
Orr said he has come up with roughly half a dozen plans to deal with the projected 2016 shortfall, and has sent them to the Legislature's fiscal office for review.
"They're going to have a busy summer," he said.
Orr wouldn't discuss his plans in detail, but said some would involve consolidation of agencies.
Clouse, the House General Fund chairman, doesn't see how agencies can be cut more than they are.
He said lawmakers might consider eliminating some tax exemptions to raise more revenue if there's no other solution.
"We're past the bone now," he said.
Capitol and statewide reporter Tim Lockette: 258-294-4193. On Twitter: @TLockette_Star.


President Barack Obama’s approval ratings have been seeing considerable lows over the past few months, and they are sitting in the low- to mid-40s as of the end of last week. Gallup shows a 42 percent approval to 53 percent disapproval ratio, Rasmussen reports 46 percent approval to 53 percent disapproval, and CBS News/New York Times records 40 percent approval to 54 percent disapproval. Gallup reports that Obama’s job approval rating of 41 percent is a mere 1 point over his all-time low of 40 percent.
The president’s numbers have been low for some time, but closer examination of specific topics shows that on the major issues, he’s slipping across the board. As a child asked him at a town hall meeting a few years back, “Why do people hate you?”
Well, the president’s answer was fairly correct. “Some of it is what’s called politics … and, you know, you get some of the credit when things go good. And when things are going tough, then you’re going to get some of the blame and that’s part of the job.” The former, is, well, politics, and the latter is simply being held accountable to the results an administration gleans from its actions.
Of course, that was in 2009. If that child were asking today, it might be something more along the lines of “Why does everyone hate you and all of Washington so so much?” All jests aside, there are some issues that Obama has been seeing the most criticism on, both in rhetoric and in the polls.


CyberX has discovered critical vulnerabilities in a popular software framework used in potentially hundreds of thousands of IIoT and industrial control system (ICS) devices.
The vulnerabilities affect all devices incorporating CODESYS Web Server v2.3 and prior, which is part of the CODESYS “WebVisu” visualization software developed by 3S-Smart Software Solutions GmbH. CODESYS is a hardware-independent middleware layer for programming IIoT and industrial control system (ICS) devices such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs).
The devices are used in nearly all critical industrial infrastructure environments including power plants, manufacturing plants, oil & gas installations, chemical and pharmaceutical factories, and building automation systems that control HVAC and elevator systems.
Attackers could exploit the vulnerabilities to install back-doors, perform industrial cyberespionage, deploy ransomware, and execute cyber-sabotage operations to disrupt production or cause catastrophic safety failures and environmental damage. (Similarly, Stuxnet exploited a total of 7 vulnerabilities to destroy Iranian centrifuges.)
Last week, ICS-CERT published an advisory (ICSA-17-087-02) validating the vulnerabilities that CyberX uncovered and assigning them a CVSS risk score of 9.8 out of 10, which is considered “CRITICAL.” The extreme risk score applies because an attacker with low skill can remotely exploit these vulnerabilities over the network — without requiring credentials — and because they provide the attacker with all-powerful Remote Code Execution (RCE) capabilities.
The two vulnerabilities are:
- CVE-2017-6027: A specially crafted web server request may allow the upload of arbitrary files to the CODESYS Web Server without authorization, which may allow remote code execution.
- CVE-2017-6025: A malicious user could overflow the stack buffer by providing overly long strings to functions that handle the XML. Because the function does not verify string size before copying to memory, the attacker may then be able to crash the application or run arbitrary code.
There are several ways for cyberattackers to reach CODESYS-based devices to exploit the new vulnerabilities:
- The Mirai Approach: Use Shodan to look for vulnerable devices that are directly connected to the Internet; then upload malicious files followed by sending specially-crafted packets to cause the buffer overflow.
- The Stuxnet Approach: Leverage insiders or contractors that connect directly to the Operational Technology (OT) network via a laptop or USB drive that has been infected with malware that exploits the vulnerabilities.
- The Black Energy Approach: Send phishing emails to employees of targeted firms; compromise their PCs on the IT network; and then pivot to the OT network via unauthorized connections between IT and OT networks. Attackers can also pivot to the OT network by exploiting vulnerabilities in firewalls separating IT and OT networks, or by exploiting vulnerable firewall rules.
The CODESYS framework was first developed in 1994 by 3S-Smart Software Solutions.
Similar to widely-used open source components such as Linux, it’s popularity stems from being based on an industry standard (IEC 61131-3) and supporting most major programming languages, CPU families (x86, MIPS, ARM, etc.), and industrial networking protocols (Modbus, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, etc.).
The company’s website states that more than 1 million CODESYS-based devices are sold each year — from more than 400 manufacturers including major vendors such as Hitachi — but it’s impossible to determine how many of them are using this particular component.
3S-Smart Software Systems released a new version of CODESYS in 2006 (v3) but the company’s website states that “many devices that are programmable with CODESYS V2.3 are [still] being used daily.”1
“Forever Day” Vulnerabilities
Device manufacturers can download a patch from the vendor (V.188.8.131.52) — but this won’t help end-user organizations in the short-term. The patching process is complicated by a number of factors:
- Unlike a zero-day in a particular device from a given manufacturer, this vulnerability exists in a common framework embedded in many devices from multiple manufacturers. In that sense, it’s more similar to the Apache STRUTS and Heartbleed vulnerabilities. (The widespread use of a vulnerable component also increases the attack surface and therefore the appeal to cyberattackers.)
- Each device manufacturer must first apply the CODESYS patch to their own code, then recompile the firmware, and then send a firmware update to their end-users. The CODESYS patch can’t be installed by end-user organizations.
- Most devices require firmware to be “reflashed,” which is a lengthier and more complicated process than standard software updates on your phone or PC.
- Devices typically reside in environments that run continuously — such as transformer stations, steel mills, and sewage treatment plants — and can only be interrupted occasionally for maintenance updates.
As Dan Goodin described in an ArsTechnica article a few years ago, “the complexity of fixing security bugs in industrial control systems has led to the term ‘forever day vulnerabilities’ because manufacturers often consider the process too difficult to carry out in many environments or on older products.”
Not if, But When?
According to international ICS cyber expert Joe Weiss, “there have been many stories about cyber vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure with the tagline – not if, but when. However, there already have been many targeted cyber attacks against critical infrastructures, from attackers ranging from disgruntled individuals to nation-states … [these attacks] have been identified in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Iran, Israel, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, UK, Ukraine, and Venezuela.”
Joe concludes by saying that “there is a need to focus on resilience and recovery as malware is already in many control system networks.” He also writes that the tagline for stories about targeted ICS attacks should be “not when, but how much damage” rather than “not if, but when.”
How We Found These Vulnerabilities
CyberX’s industrial cybersecurity platform monitors IIoT and ICS networks in some of the largest industrial environments worldwide.
Many of our customers use CODESYS-enabled automation devices in their OT networks. Our Threat Intelligence Research team began investigating the code in our lab and once we uncovered the vulnerabilities, immediately submitted them to ICS-CERT as part of our responsible disclosure process. CyberX has not identified any known exploits or active campaigns targeting this vulnerability.
Mitigating the Risk
Remediating these vulnerabilities is a difficult process that may take years to do right, so here are a few obvious best practices for mitigating the risk in the meantime:
- Ensure ICS systems and devices are never directly exposed to the public Internet.
- Isolate ICS systems and devices from corporate IT networks using firewalls. Keep the firewalls patched and check regularly for vulnerable firewall rules.
- Create subnets to isolate vulnerable ICS devices from other systems and devices on OT networks, in order to minimize the impact of a potential compromise.
- Implement continuous, real-time network monitoring and behavioral anomaly detection to quickly identify suspicious or unauthorized activities on your OT network.
1 The device directory on the CODESYS website no longer shows which products are using v2.3, but when we look at archived versions of the company’s website via the Wayback Machine, we find that, as of mid-2016, about 55% of all products listed in the company’s device directory were using the vulnerable version (WebVisu V2.3).


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Trinity Seven School Fantasy Romantic Comedy Manga Gets 2nd Anime Film
posted on by Egan Loo
The official website for the anime film adaptation of Kenji Saitō and Akinari Nao's Trinity Seven manga announced on Tuesday that a second anime film has been green-lit. Shinpei Tomooka, the character designer and chief animation director for the 2014 television anime and the 2017 Trinity Seven: Eternal Library & Alchemic Girl anime film, drew a visual to commemorate the news:
Saito expressed his disbelief that a second film is being made, while Nao thanked the fans for supporting all of Trinity Seven thus far.
Yen Press is publishing the manga in English, and it describes the story:
Arata Kasuga transfers to the Royal Biblia Academy to solve the mystery of the destruction that is ravaging the world and that - more importantly - has stolen his cousin Hijiri from him. It's a tough road that lies ahead of Arata, but nothing's impossible when you have seven beautiful girls - each a master of her own magical art - at your side!
Saito and Nao launched the manga in Monthly Dragon Age magazine in 2011. Kadokawa published the manga's 18th compiled book volume on February 9, and will publish the 19th volume on July 9. The manga has more than 3 million copies in print. The manga has inspired spinoff manga, including Trinity Seven: Liese Chronicle and Trinity Seven: Levi Ninden. Yen Press is publishing the manga in English, and it published the manga's 13th compiled book volume on May 22.
The manga inspired a 12-episode television anime series that premiered in October 2014, and Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks released the series with an English dub on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in August 2016.
Crunchyroll also began streaming the Trinity Seven: Eternal Library & Alchemic Girl film in March 2017. The film opened in Japan in February 2017.
The July issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Dragon Age magazine revealed on June 9 that Kenji Saitō and Akinari Nao's Trinity Seven manga will have a "super important announcement" in the magazine's next issue on July 9. The manga will also have a color opening page in the issue, and will feature on the front cover.
Sources: Comic Natalie, Trinity Seven films' official website

domain: hobby


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Interest in bacteria and other creatures living on and inside us keeps climbing. On August 15 and 16, scientists from a wide array of disciplines will gather for the Emory Microbiome Research Center inaugural Read more
A diagnostic test used by hospitals says a recently isolated strain of bacteria is susceptible to the “last resort” antibiotic colistin. But the strain actually ignores treatment with colistin, causing lethal infections in animals.
Through heteroresistance, a genetically identical subpopulation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria can lurk within a crowd of antibiotic-susceptible bacteria. The phenomenon could be causing unexplained treatment failures in the clinic and highlights the need for more sensitive diagnostic tests, researchers say.
“Heteroresistance has been observed previously and its clinical relevance debated,” Weiss says. “We were able to show that it makes a difference in an animal model of infection, and is likely to contribute to antibiotic treatment failures in humans.”
Weiss is director of the Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center and associate professor of medicine (infectious diseases) at Emory University School of Medicine and Emory Vaccine Center. His laboratory is based at Yerkes National Primate Research Center. The co-first authors of the paper are graduate students Victor Band and Emily Crispell.
Third in a series on malaria immunology from graduate student Taryn McLaughlin. Sorry for the delay last week, caused by technical blog glitches.
It’s easy for me to find reasons to brag when it comes to research here at Emory. However, even an unbiased person should be excited about the malaria vaccine platform being developed by Alberto Moreno at the Emory Vaccine Center.
His vaccine is based on a chimeric protein (a protein that is a combination of bits and pieces of multiple proteins, a la the creature from Greek mythology) that should get your immune system to target multiple stages of the Plasmodium vivax life cycle. Part of it targets the infectious sporozoite, part of it targets the blood stage merozoite, and part of it will even target the transmitted gamete in future versions. This seems like a no brainer. Of course we should be targeting multiple stages! Read more
Continuing from Monday’s post, IMP graduate student Taryn McLaughlin explains why the most advanced malaria vaccine is actually not that great.
Malaria has plagued humans for thousands of years. And while we have known the causative agents of the disease- for 150 years, malaria remains scientifically frustrating. In fact, one of the most common treatments for the disease is simply a derivative of a treatment used in ancient China.
One of the most frustrating features is that there is no sterilizing immunity. In other words, for many diseases once you are infected with the microbe responsible, you develop an immune response and then never get the disease again. Not so with malaria. Compounded with terrible treatment and the impracticality of ridding the world of mosquitos, a vaccine sounds like pretty much our only hope. And yet this has been scientifically challenging and unsuccessful for many many reasons.
As a quick refresher, Plasmodium enters the body via mosquitos as a sporozoite. It then migrates through the skin going into the blood and eventually making itâ€™s way to the liver. Here it goes inside liver cells where it replicates and turns into merozoites (such that one sporozoite becomes thousands of merozoites). This stage of the disease is asymptomatic. Some time later, all those merozoites burst out of your liver cells causing mayhem and invading your red blood cells. Here, they once again replicate and metamorphose. Fun times. Anyways, during the last stage, some of those plasmodium become gametes which get eaten by mosquitos thus completing the life cycle.Read more
Those of us in the US are fortunate to not have to consider malaria in our day-to-day lives. Globally though, malaria is a serious public health threat with nearly 3.2 billion people at risk and close to half a million deaths every year. The scientific community has been developing malaria vaccines for decades. Yet a robust vaccine still remains elusive. Why?
IMP graduate student Taryn McLaughlin
One set of barriers comes from economics:Â malariaâ€™s strongest impact is in developing countries. But there is just as strong a case to be made for scientific obstacles. Frankly, the parasite (technically a bunch of species of microbes that I’ll just lump together under the umbrella term Plasmodium) that causes malaria is just smarter than we are.
I’m only kidding, but it is a fascinating organism. Its complexity makes it difficult to pin down and also interesting to write about. But before we talk about why Plasmodium is such a pain, let’s first discuss what exactly makes an effective vaccine.Read more
Emory’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center recently announced a grant that will support studies on the connections between blood pressure regulation and Alzheimer’s disease. It focuses on the roles of the renin-angiotensin system, the targets of common blood pressure medications, and endothelial cells, which line blood vessels.
Research on that theme is already underway at Emory. Malu Tansey is leading a large project funded by the National Institute on Aging ($3.4 million) with a similar title: “Inflammation and Renin-Angiotensin System Dysfunction as Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease.” Co-investigators are Felicia Goldstein and Lary Walker at Emory and Christopher Norris at the University of Kentucky.
Both studies build on evidence that molecules that control blood pressure and inflammation also drive progression of Alzheimer’s disease, including work by Emory’s Whitney Wharton and Ihab Hajjar. They had found in an observational study that people who take medications targeting the renin-angiotensin system have a lower risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s.
Wharton is gearing up to test that idea more directly in an interventional study with the generic angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan. This study is part of a Part the Cloud initiative supported by the Alzheimer’s Association.
How should doctors measure how messed up someoneâ€™s intestinal microbiome is?
This is the topic of a recent paper in American Journal of Infection Controlfrom Colleen Kraft and colleagues from Emory and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The corresponding author is epidemiologist Alison Laufer Halpin at the CDC.
What the authors are moving towards is similar to Shannonâ€™s index, which ecologists use to measure diversity of species. Another way to think about it is like the Gini coefficient, a measure of economic inequality in a country. If there are many kinds of bacteria living in someoneâ€™s body, the disruption index should be low. If there is just one dominant type of bacteria, the disruption index should be high.
In the paper, the authors examined samples from eight patients in a long-term acute care hospital (Wesley Woods) who had recently developed diarrhea. Using DNA sequencing, they determined what types of bacteria were present in patients’ stool. The patientsâ€™ samples were compared with those from two fecal microbial transplant donors. Read more
Intestinal inflammation in mice can be dampened by giving them a diet restricted in amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, researchers have found. The results were published online by Nature on Wednesday, MarchÂ 16.
The findings highlight an ancient connection between nutrient availability and control of inflammation. They also suggest that a low protein diet — or drugs that mimic its effects on immune cells — could be tools for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohnâ€™s disease or ulcerative colitis.
â€œIt is well known that the immune system can detect and respond to pathogens, but these results highlight its capacity to sense and adapt to environmental changes, such as nutritional starvation, which cause cellular stress,â€ he says.
A recent WABE â€œCloser Lookâ€ interview with Mark Mulligan, executive director of the Emory Vaccine Centerâ€™s Hope Clinic, covers a lot of ground. It starts off with a segment — also aired on Marketplace — from reporter Michell Eloy, who visited the Hope Clinicâ€™s lab. We hear a machine processing blood samples from a study testing an experimental Ebola vaccine and a roundup of Ebola vaccine developments.
Then, reporters Rose Scott and Jim Burress discuss several different Ebola vaccines with Mulligan. One is based on chimpanzee adenovirus, was tested at the Hope Clinic and elsewhere in the USA and the UK, and then in Liberia. While this vaccine was safe and it appears to stimulate the immune system appropriately, the outbreak fizzled out (a good thing!) before it was possible to tell if the vaccine protected people from Ebola infection. Read more
In injured mouse intestines, specific types of bacteria step forward to promote healing, Emory scientists have found.Â One oxygen-shy type of bacteria that grows in the wound-healing environment,Â Akkermansia muciniphila, has already attracted attention for its relative scarcity in both animal andÂ human obesity.
An intestinal wound brings bacteria (red) into contact with epithelial cells (green). The bacteria can provide signals that promote healing, if they are the right kind.
The findings emphasize how the intestinal microbiome changes locally in response to injury and even helps repair breaches. The researchers suggest that some of these microbes could be exploited as treatments for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.
The results were published on January 27 inÂ Nature Microbiology.Â Researchers took samples of DNA from the colon tissue of mice after they underwent colon biopsies. They used DNA sequencing to determine what types of bacteria were present.
â€œThis is a situation resembling recovery after a forest fire,â€ says Andrew Neish, MD, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. â€œOnce the trees are gone, there is an orderly succession of grasses and shrubs, before the reconstitution of the mature forest. Similarly, in the damaged gut, we see that certain kinds of bacteria bloom, contribute to wound healing, and then later dissipate as the wound repairs.â€ Read more
Twenty years of research and you start toÂ improve outcomesÂ for transplant patients.
TheÂ Nature paperÂ from Chris Larsen and Tom PearsonÂ on “costimulation blockers” and their ability to head off graft rejection in rodentsÂ first appeared in 1996.
Almost 20 years later, a seven-year study of kidney transplant recipients has shown that the drug belatacept, a costimulation blocker based on Larsen and Pearson’s research, has a better record of patient and organ survival than a calcineurin inhibitor, previously the standard of care.
Kidney transplant recipients need to take drugs to prevent their immune systems from rejecting their new organs, but the drugs themselves can cause problems. Long-term use of calcineurin inhibitors, such as tacrolimus, can damage the transplanted kidneys and lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
In the accompanying video, Larsen -Â now dean of Emory University School of Medicine – and Pearson -Â executive director of Emory Transplant Center – explain.
To go with the paper, NEJM has an editorial with some revealing statistics (more than 14,000 of the 101,000 patients listed for kidney transplantation are waiting for a repeatÂ transplant) and a explanatory video.Â MedPage Today has an interview with Larsen, and HealthDay has a nice discussion of the issues surrounding post-transplant drugs. Read more


Michigan is waiting for doses of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, but federal delays mean they are sitting in Portage waiting to be shipped instead of being administered to frontline workers, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a press conference Friday.
“I still cannot get a straight answer out of the Trump administration about why Michigan, like many other states, is receiving a fraction of the vaccines that we were slated to receive,” Whitmer said.
According to the Associated Press, more than a dozen states have been told to expect far fewer doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine next week than they had originally anticipated.
The Associated Press reported Pfizer said its production levels have not changed, and senior President Donald Trump administration officials have downplayed the risk of delays.
Whitmer said from what she can tell, the federal government is “slow-walking” getting shipping addresses to Pfizer while millions of doses of the vaccine wait in warehouses.
“We have Michigan hospitals and nursing homes ready to administer this vaccine, and the bottleneck appears to be the White House,” Whitmer said. “And I can’t get an answer why.”
She put a call in to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Asar’s office but hasn’t been able to get ahold of them. When she does, she has a simple question: “Where are our doses? What is holding them up? When can we expect them?”
“I’m angry because this virus is raging on in this country. And there is either corruption or ineptitude. And it’s keeping us from saving lives and protecting people,” Whitmer said.
She said states are getting ready for vaccines, but the vaccines aren’t coming in at the levels they’ve been promised. She cited other governors who are also frustrated by the delays.
“If I sound frustrated, it’s because I am,” she said.
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association CEO Brian Peters also called for clearer communication from the federal government in a statement Friday.
“We find the lack of communication and clarity on the reduced allocation of Pfizer vaccine from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services disappointing and frustrating. Hospitals have gone to great lengths to ensure that frontline caregivers are available to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which pulls vital staff away from treating patients when Michigan is in the middle of a second COVID-19 surge,” he said.
“Any delay in receipt of vaccine prolongs the vaccination process and puts healthcare workers at increased risk for contracting this deadly disease.”
Whitmer has long been critical of the federal government for its lack of a national strategy to address the coronavirus and reiterated that in her press conference Friday.
She also announced an extension of some restrictions designed to stop the spread of coronavirus, including a ban on indoor dining. Other restrictions -- like one that previously prohibited in-person high school instruction -- are lifting.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read more on MLive:


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Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Okay? Maybe. Okay.
"Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book. And then there are books like An Imperial Affliction, which you can't tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal."
I used to feel like the former towards TFIOS, but these days, I feel like the latter.
I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of my reaction when I received my copy of The Fault in Our Stars, back in 2012. Mine was pre-ordered, one of the first copies that John had signed. I knew about it for about a year - I had fallen into the sinkhole of the YouTube community sometime in 2011, and while the admiration and obsession had now somewhat dimmed, back then, I hung on to every word like it was an anchor in an increasingly drifting life.
Of course I knew what it was going to be about. John had read the first two chapters on the Vlogbrothers channel, and for most of October and November, he had been talking about (and filming) each and every process of the book's publication. But I wasn't expecting the strength of the undertow of his words to suck me in and pull me under. It's very hard to talk about a book that most people - who may have never read it or have never gotten past its label as "young adult literature" - would either deride or dismiss as something beneath their notice.
But I am, first and foremost, a lover of stories. And perhaps unlike many of my peers and colleagues, I had never "grown up" and read adult literature, whatever that might mean as well. I mean, I read books - books that people recommend and books that people say are good and books whose covers are interesting or written by authors whose earlier stuff I had read and was eager to look for more of their work. I'm not sure if that would classify as "adult literature". Many of the canon literature books, I've never read, or I've tried reading and failed miserably, relying on adaptations or transliterations in order to be able to participate in the cultural conversation. Most of what I read are considered genre literature: high fantasy, science fiction, young adult. Not exactly a place where academics come out and play.
So for the longest time, the books I love have stayed in certain circles: book clubs, Internet communities, friends. I teach the books I love to my students in the hopes that they would love them as well, but I also knew that it may have been futile to ask them to read stories that may never stick to their soul the way so many stories have stuck to mine. The way The Fault in Our Stars has stuck to mine.
It's hard to articulate what has made this book in particular something special. I've heard friends and acquaintances wax poetic about books and stories and poems that have made them writers and creators and storytellers, and for the longest time, my answers were simply variants of what I had been reading at the time. I cannot relate personally to the struggles that Hazel and Augustus experience during the course of the novel - I have never had cancer before; none of the people I knew who had cancer had survived. (To be fair, they were elderly and I was either too young or out of the country to remember them without the tinge of childhood nostalgia.) The closest I've come to it is the fact that the love of my life is a survivor of pediatric cancer, and he's been declared cancer-free for a decade and a half now.
It's also not the fact that it's an eminently quotable book. Off the top of my head, I've always been fond of phrases such as "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities," or "The world in not a wish-granting factory," or other Encouragement-like phrases that would look good on a poster or on a Tumblr post. Perhaps if you or I read these lines in a book of poetry, where life and the universe and the mysteries of existence are distilled into pure form, pure words, then many of us would not be as derisive about it.
I'm not sure if it's because of the way it handles the romance of falling in love as a teenager, which is a very different experience from falling in love as an adult. The not-jaded part of me still remembers to sheer joy and utter devastation of love and loss, when you still don't know how to build your shields against a cruel and unfeeling world that will, ultimately, not care who you are or what you have done in order to be remembered. When you fall in love for the first time, everything is magnified, made whole and new again by this buoyant, crushing feeling that is inexorably tied to another person.
Before we watched the film, I had been resistant to watching it, and refused to catch it during the opening weekend. John had been talking about the film for awhile now, ever since it was optioned by Fox, and there was that part of me that was wondering why I was so sensitive and vulnerable about the film. And even when reviews came in and people started talking about it and it became a part of the conversation - never had I seen so many people on Facebook and Twitter start asking whether they should read the book (YES READ THE BOOK BEFORE YOU WATCH THE MOVIE) or people who have been saying they like it, they hate it, they don't know what makes it the way it is, and then I suddenly realized that this novel that has been part of the fabric of my online life has now suddenly filtered into my offline life, my "real world".
And it scared the shit out of me.
Here's the thing about The Fault in Our Stars: it's a beautiful book if you are predisposed to liking beautiful things. Of course, that is a very subjective statement, and is open to interpretation. But I guess my thing about it is that now that it's become part of the current cultural conversations happening around us - among the many, many cultural conversations happening around us - is that it has opened up a whole discussion of whether or not young adult fiction should be taken seriously, should be read by adults, should be read by adults proudly, so on and so forth.
And to be, I think that if you're already predisposed to Not Liking Something, then nothing anyone says or does will make a difference to you. If you think that it's just a hype, or that it's too popular because OMG popular things = terrible things, then maybe you should also examine your own prejudices when it comes to consuming and engaging cultural content. Not everything will be on the level of Van Gogh or Mozart or Shakespeare. Of course not. These people, and many others, stand on the shoulders of forgotten creators, of failed creators, of creators who were perhaps popular during their time but never really made it through that test of time. (It's called a test for a reason.) But as another popular movie about a rat who wanted to be a chef says:
Will there always be bad art? Of course - those that champion narrow-mindedness and ignorance and reduces the world to binaries - black and white, good and evil, us and them. But who are we to say that something is terrible simply because it is popular or because it is new or because it says something universal about the human experience that is increasingly more diverse and complex than ever before? Why impose your own individual standards to creators and writers and artists who are telling good, skillfully crafted, humorous, universal stories?
Regarding the film: of course I cried. I cried when I re-read the book a couple of nights before we watched the film - quiet, heaving sobs in the middle of the night, my eyes watering over the page.
In the film, I started crying when Hazel (Shailene Woodley) was getting ready to attend Gus' (Ansel Elgort) funeral. For a moment, staring at her, I could see the echo of another pediatric cancer victim, Esther Earl, whose own life and friendship to John and her importance to Nerdfighteria cannot be ignored. And while Hazel is not Esther, in the same way that Shailene is not Hazel, there was still an echo, a trick of light and camera and movement, that made me imagine: what if?
And so I sat in the darkness of the movie theatre, I mourned the life of a person I had never met, but had inadvertently touched the life I am living now, mediated by stories and words and images, and grieving for the other "What ifs" that had been lost, their stories untold and forgotten.
And it made me thankful that there are stories like these, like The Fault in Our Stars, like any other piece of literature that has touched the very core of you not because you are an academic or a teacher or too cool for school, but because you are a person, goddammit, and storytelling is your birthright.

domain: artistic


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House and Senate Democrats, trying to work out their differences over Bill Clinton's economic program, are showing the debilitating effects of Washington's summer heat and humidity.
Pressing to settle on a plan before an early August recess, the lawmakers seem more concerned with bipartisan one-upmanship than with crafting a serious deficit-reduction package. Gaining an edge for the next election is taking precedent over reducing the deficit and promoting economic growth.
There are weak knees and light heads everywhere on Capitol Hill. Some lawmakers are backing away from Clinton's pledge to cut the deficit by $500 billion over five years. Some Democrats, sensitive to being tagged as tax-and-spend liberals, are pushing to exempt the middle class from new taxes. They want to eliminate energy tax hikes and replace them with higher taxes on businesses and the rich.
To his credit, President Clinton went to the Hill this week and told Democrats to stick to the $500 billion goal and to include an energy tax, preferably a form of the Senate's higher gasoline tax. The first point is important because it sends a reassuring signal to the financial markets that Clinton still is serious about trying to get the budget under control.
And an energy tax is meaningful because, along with support for a top corporate tax rate of 35 percent, it shows that the administration is somewhat sensitive to the impact that taxes have on behavior and economic decision-making. Clinton isn't above playing the class warfare game, insisting that the heaviest burden of new taxes fall on the privileged and well-to-do, but he knows that the best taxes are fair, simple ones that raise the revenues government needs and don't distort economic incentives.
Some Democrats want to drop the gasoline tax increase, raise the corporate rate to 36 percent and boost the top marginal rate on individuals by another percentage point to 40.7 percent. It might be good politics, but it's bad economics and public policy.
Higher gasoline taxes will increase costs for many homeowners and businesses, but each penny increase will raise about $5 billion and the negative impact will be softened by current strong supplies and weak demand, which are depressing pump prices. Higher taxes on businesses and individuals, however, will encourage more tax avoidance and hurt the economy down the road.
Some companies, for example, will take on more debt in order to increase their deductible interest expense. If higher taxes cut into profits, some may reduce investments in facilities and equipment and eliminate jobs. Wealthy individuals may cut their savings and investments or look for ways to shelter their income and reduce their tax bills.
If cooler heads don't prevail, the tax package could weaken the limp recovery. It also could bring in far less revenue than expected. The result will be less new spending on investment and social programs and unacceptable deficits for years to come.

domain: news


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So now you know that Matt Giraud spends a little too much on his clothes and that Anoop Desai HATES Aladdin jokes. But how much do you really know about Scott MacIntyre and Lil Rounds?
In another one of our Idol bromance/girlmance series, which catches up with ‘American Idol’ stars as they prepare for the ‘Idol Live’ tour – in pairs – Scott and Lil (should we call them “Lil Scott”?) talk about superpowers, and what advice they would give to each other on musical choices.
What were your first impressions of each other?
Lil: My first impression of Scott was just “wow.” I got a chance to see him during Hollywood week. He got up there with his piano to sing and everything. Knowing that he was visually impaired, the way he walked around with confidence and stuff, he inspired me. I was like, this guy is amazing. And then on top of that, the voice and all the talent to go with it was really great. He’s a great guy and I’m glad to say he’s my friend and we’re going to be able to go on the road together. It’ll be a lot of fun!
Scott: I thought she was amazing. She had this huge, soulful voice. There were a couple people that stood out to me in Hollywood week because there were so many people at that point. Even when we left I didn’t have a great picture of who to look out for. But she was one of the ones that really stood out to me. She’s going to be great on tour. I heard her set. She’s going to be amazing.
Lil, what would Scott’s album remind you of?
Lil: Scott is one of those guys that you couldn’t put a label on him. He can go from classical pianist to pop/rock guy. He had a lot going on. I really couldn’t name an artist off the top of my head that he reminds me of because, to me, he can do it all. I’ve never put a label on him because he can do anything. As far as mainstream music, he’s more a singer/songwriter type of artist. I’ve heard some of the songs that he’s written… and I think he could go for pop a little bit!
If Lil had a super power, what would it be?
Scott: She brightens every single day that we have here with her voice and her personality. So I think she already has a super power. She’d be able to give me a smile that would last for days and days and days!
Scott is better than you at what?
Lil: Oh no! (laughs) He is definitely better than me at that piano, I’ll tell you that. He’s like a god on there. You put me on there, and I can do Chopsticks. But you put him on there, and it just flows beautifully. On top of that, he has a lot of drive. It takes a lot to be able to do Idol, then the fact that he’s visually impaired… he never looks at that as a disability. So that inspires me to know that you can do anything in life as long as you put your mind to it. You just got to stay focused.
What is Lil better at than you?
Scott: She’s definitely better at dancing than me. (laughs) She breaks it out on the tour! I think she’s a better mother than I would ever be. (more laughs)
I hope so!
Scott: The list goes on and on. She is one of my favorite people that I’ve met through this entire process. She’s going to be the dancing highlight of this tour.
Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our interview with Michael Sarver and Danny Gokey!

domain: celebrity


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One convenient download. One bargain price. Get all June 2010 Harlequin Blaze with one click! Bundle includes: 3 Seductions and a Wedding by Julie Leto, Wanted! by Vicki Lewis Thompson, The Ranger by Rhonda Nelson, The Sexy Devil by Kate Hoffmann, Taken Beyond Temptation by Cara Summers and Indiscretions by Lori Borrill.
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domain: literature


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I am looking for a person who is interested in buying this rare skin. You can send me your prices by mail. Keep in mind that the last sell order was at ~25 billion, and the last auction in 2019 ended at around 17 billion. Don’t offer me an undervalued price!
Location - Jita.
Zento is nicer (also much cheaper).
Looks like they ran out of paint half way through that skin, can we get discount for that?
As you might have guessed, the paint also has its own weight. For example, on a Boeing 747, the paint weight is about 136 kilograms.
If the paint is half finished, this skin does not affect the weight of the Tengu so much, which makes it more maneuverable and gives you an advantage in battles!
I think it’s worth asking for an even higher price!
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.


Discover the new AS350: the "Flying Laboratory"
Airborne Technologies has partnered with the Slovakian power engineering company VUJE and now introduces the AS350. The so-called "flying laboratory" compromises eight different sensors that can be controlled by only one operator.
Airborne Technologies (ABT) has handed over a real multi-talent to the Slovakian power engineering company VUJE. The AS350, also called the "flying laboratory", studded with sensors, is the epitome of a multi-sensor application. It comprises 8 different sensors that can be controlled by only one operator via a leading-ledge operator workstation. The ABT engineering team has installed the individual sensors of of the comprehensive sensor suite on 3 external mounts.
Alexander Kšiňan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of VUJE, said: “The sensor architecture implemented by Airborne Technologies reduces the workload of the crew by enabling a safe operation of 8 sensors simultaneously. The deployment of a single engine helicopter with a 2-men-crew sets new standards in economic efficiency.
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Public applause by readers
Julián David Lancheros
ASILEDO, Sales Manager Colombia and Ecuador
Conteo AG, Managing Director
Airborne Technologies, Head of Marketing


PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ – The Arizona Sundogs had a power play in the game’s final minute, but the Laredo Bucks held on for a 2-1 win on Friday night at Tim’s Toyota Center in the opening contest of the 2011-12 Central Hockey League season for both teams.
All the scoring took place in the second period, starting with Jason Reese for Laredo. Reese’s rebound goal gave the Bucks a 1-0 lead on the power play midway through the second period. Luke Erickson added his first of the year for the Sundogs to knot the game off a centering pass by Craig Macdonald, but Adam Rivet put the Bucks ahead for good less than a minute later with another man-advantage tally for Laredo.
Torrie Jung took the win for Laredo with 34 saves. Scott Reid made 35 saves for Arizona.
Laredo finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Sundogs were 0-for-5.
The two teams meet again Saturday night in Prescott Valley, AZ at 7:05 PM.
The Arizona Sundogs are the Central Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes. Their sixth season is brought to you by Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel. The year begins on October 21st when the Sundogs host the Laredo Bucks. The Sundogs will also host the 2012 CHL All-Star Game in January. Season tickets, mini-plan, and single-game ticket information is now available by calling (928) 759-6600 or visiting arizonasundogs.com.


Director of the Fuzznutz video, Chaffro Schoonmaker, at the release party at Raglan Galaxy!
The debut music video performed by the Fuzznutz is now online! You can view it at 2 locations, YouTube and Vimeo. Click either of the links below to view, and be sure to comment wherever you can!
The YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlocd_B0_UM
The Vimeo URL: http://www.vimeo.com/1878959


text:
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We didn't put all products on website. If you can't find the product you're looking for, please contact us for more information.
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We welcome customers from all over the world come to discuss business. We supply high quality products reasonable prices and good services. We hope to sincerely build business relationships with customers from at home and abroad jointly striving for a resplendent tomorrow.

domain: economics


text:
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Play against other players in a battle to the death, with awesome tanks!

domain: game


TIME TO FOLD
The Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X bring in a whole new world of phones that transform into tablets with a flick of the wrist. The future is here, and it flexes
After years of waiting for the first folding phone that looks like a product worth buying, we’ll have two comings out within a few months of each other. Samsung announced its Galaxy Fold smartphone to be released this year, followed swiftly by Huawei’s reveal of the Mate X.
What’s really interesting is that these two pioneers of the new kind of device have come at it from a very different angle.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold has two distinct screens. When it’s folded up, there’s a 4.5-inch OLED ‘Cover Display’ on the front, with a resolution of 840x1960, which you can use as a regular phone, though we know a lot of people won’t have tried one with that small a screen in a while.
If you decide you want a bigger canvas, you can just open up the phone to reveal a 7.3-inch OLED folding screen inside, which has a resolution of 1536x2152. This might seem a little low-res compared to high-end flagship screens in regular phones, but it’s still a density of 362 pixels per inch, which is more than high enough to look sharp.
When you open it up, what


After months of anticipation, Young Thug has finally dropped the follow-up to his 2018 Slime Language compilation album, Slime Language 2. After announcing the release date this week, the rapper also shared the cover art for the album, featuring a few members of the YSL Records family.
View this post on Instagram
The project includes Young Thug’s previously released singles ‘That Go’ featuring Meek Mill & T-Shyne, and ‘Take It To Trial’, with Gunna & Yak Gotti. Thugger first teased fans about the album last October, hinting at a Black Friday 2020 release date, however he chose to drop three singles instead. The rapper was also working on a few collaborations in between, including the Lil Durk single ‘Stay Down’, with 6LACK.
Slime Language 2 is Young Thug’s first full-length release since his debut studio album, So Much Fun.
Stream Slime Language 2 here.


WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee passed the appropriations bill to fund the Department of Defense. Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., the only physician who serves on the committee, successfully advocated for 15 million dollars in funding for reconstructive transplant research.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. voted this evening in favor of H.R. 3 “The Northern Route Approval Act” that would build the Keystone XL pipeline.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. released the following statement on his vote this evening to repeal The Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare – and lay the foundation for patient-centered reforms that actually improve the quality and access to healthcare.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. joined Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-1) and Congressman Rodney Alexander (LA-5) calling on HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to release information regarding her solicitation of private healthcare companies to give money to promote The Affordable Care Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) and Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), together with Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and the bipartisan Maryland House Delegation, sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today urging him to give the University System of Maryland’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test site proposal his strongest consideration.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. released the following statement on the news that the FAA will not be closing the 149 contract towers across the country including those at the Easton and Salisbury airports:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. voted for the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 (H.R.
WASHINGTON, DC – Bipartisan Members of Maryland’s House Delegation met today with Army Corps of Engineers Colonel J.
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. announced his support for President Obama’s designation of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument on the Eastern Shore. In February, Congressman Harris introduced legislation to establish the Harriet Tubman Railroad National Historical Park in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties.


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Malaysians React Over Claim That Attire “Invites Rape”
The chief minister of an opposition-ruled Malaysian state recently claimed that women were the main cause of social ills and moral decadence, due to attire that exposed their bodies. Minister Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat also added that their clothing invited men to rape or molest them, stating, "Even my faith as a religious teacher can be weakened by watching them." Many Malaysians were infuriated with the ministers' comments, including Zainah Anwar, executive director of Sisters in Islam Forum Malaysia. Anwar urged leaders in Malaysia to educate men to take responsibility for their own actions and to treat women as fellow human beings of equal worth and dignity, adding that, "the solution to society's ills does not lie in the shrouding, segregation and control of women."
Media Resources: Agence France-Presse 9 October 2000
11/24/2014 The City of Louisville Has Overwhelmingly Approved a CEDAW Resolution - The city of Louisville, Kentucky approved a resolution that will use the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as a framework for all future policy aimed at ending gender-based discrimination.
Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh introduced the resolution, which passed overwhelmingly on November 6. . . .
11/21/2014 Fifth Circuit Court Refuses to Reconsider Ruling Blocking Mississippi TRAP Law - The full US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Thursday refused to reconsider a panel decision blocking enforcement of a Mississippi law that threatened to close the last remaining abortion clinic in the state.
In July, a panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a preliminary injunction against a Mississippi TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) law requiring abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals. . . .


text:
(Vienna, 07 September 2017) During the Ebola epidemic that ravaged West Africa between 2013 and 2016, around 28,000 people contracted the virus and 10,000 survived – more than 1,500 of these in Liberia. Most of the survivors are now facing difficult social, financial and health challenges, are stigmatised and to some extent discriminated against. Media reporting plays an important role in epidemics – it can minimise the infection risk and combat the stigmatisation of those affected. That is the finding of a study conducted by Elisabeth Anne-Sophie Mayrhuber, Thomas Niederkrotenthaler and Ruth Kutalek from MedUni Vienna's Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine.
The latest study takes the form of a media analysis of online articles on the theme of Ebola survivors produced by the newspaper "The Liberian Observer" over a period of around two years.
Says Kutalek: "The newspaper not only reported on the mental and physical consequences of the disease but also the social and financial consequences. At the same time, it also tackled the subject of stigmatisation, clearly illustrating how this manifests itself in everyday life." The background: Because of the high risk of infection, all the possessions of people who contracted Ebola were sprayed with disinfectant and in many cases destroyed – or even burnt. Most of the survivors returning home from the "Ebola Treatment Unit" were left with nothing. They lost their jobs, their homes, and were no longer able to shop in the marketplace.
The analysis of the reports in the "Liberian Observer" showed that the newspaper had taken pains to report the social situation of a Ebola survivors in an objective way – without any scaremongering. "Completely in contrast to some European media," adds Kutalek. At the same time, the subject of stigmatisation and the measures taken to combat it, such as including sufferers in aid activities, was tackled openly – and successfully: "It was clear that it had a de-stigmatising effect within society," say the MedUni researchers.
To sum up the central finding: De-stigmatisation occurs when media openly address the subject of stigmatisation, when those affected are able to have their say rather than just be "reported on" and when there is broad public discussion about the subject."
Service: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
"We are survivors and not a virus:" Content analysis of media reporting on Ebola survivors in Liberia. Elisabeth Anne-Sophie Mayrhuber, Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Ruth Kutalek. August 24, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005845.

domain: sociology


President Donald Trump’s loyalists here at Florida’s premier retirement community fear Andrew Gillum.
It has nothing to do with his race, they insist, when asked about the 39-year-old Democrat who could become the state’s first African-American governor. Instead, The Villages’ deeply conservative residents are convinced a Gillum victory would trigger an era of high crime, higher taxes and moral failing.
“He’ll kill everything that’s good about Florida,” says Talmadge Strickland, a 66-year-old retired firefighter wearing a “Trump 2020″ baseball cap at a rally for Gillum’s opponent. “He will hurt us; he will physically hurt us with his socialist mentality.”
In an era defined by deep political partisanship, there’s perhaps no state where the divide runs deeper than Florida, which is in the grip of a fierce culture clash over guns, race, climate change and the president. Gillum sits at the center of the melee, his campaign a proxy for the larger fight between Democrats and President Donald Trump’s GOP.
Gillum’s fate is inexorably linked to fellow Democrats whose success could determine control of Congress. That’s especially true for three-term Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who could benefit from Gillum’s appeal among young voters and minorities.
As early voting begins in Florida this week, that link is tenuous.
“New voters and infrequent voters are everything to us winning,” Gillum told The Associated Press when asked about his impact on Nelson’s race. “I think they will vote for both of us, and that will be to his benefit.”
Young people and minorities are traditionally among the least reliable voters, particularly in midterm elections. Meanwhile, white voters in place like The Villages are lining up behind his opponent, former Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis.
The electorate in Florida this year is especially unpredictable due to an unusual collision of events: a massive hurricane, the nation’s deadliest high school shooting and Gillum’s historic candidacy.
Gillum acknowledged some Florida voters might oppose him because of his race, but insisted “that voter is not the majority of the people in our state.”
During Sunday night’s CNN debate, he accused his Republican opponent of fanning racial animus ever since DeSantis first warned Florida voters not to “monkey this up” by electing Gillum.
“The ‘monkey up’ comment said it all,” Gillum charged. “He has only continued in the course of his campaign to draw all the attention he can to the color of my skin. The truth is, you know what, I’m black. I’ve been black all my life. So far as I know, I will die black.”
Meanwhile, a small, but significant portion of the state’s Republican base remains consumed by recovery efforts almost two weeks after Hurricane Michael devastated the Panhandle. The secretary of state extended early voting hours, but both sides expect a drop in turnout across the heavily-Republican region as residents struggle without electricity and lodging in many cases.
Nelson’s challenger, Gov. Rick Scott, has yet to resume any campaign activities since the storm made landfall.
The state’s other trauma ” a school shooting earlier this year that left 17 students and staff dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland ” looms over the races. Backed by the fortune of Democratic billionaires Tom Steyerand Michael Bloomberg, Florida’s young people are fighting to be heard.
Those rallying behind Gillum in recent days include 16-year-old Sari Kaufman, a Parkland survivor who spent Sunday canvassing for the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
In an interview, Kaufman suggested young people are more excited about Gillum than Nelson, particularly because of Gillum’s status as a younger candidate running statewide for the first time.


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domain: entertainment


text:
Swiftly rising experimental bass producer Adiidas is gearing up for his debut My Cat EP — and we’re beyond excited to present you with the very first listen to its leading track!
Off-kilter beats, slap-worthy bass and overall unconventional sounds are the meat and bones of this producer’s original style. We’ve heard his vibe with “Lake Tahoe” and many other productions, but Adiidas seems to continuously reinvent himself through experimentation with every release.
“Mouse” is no different, which rocks a playful, quirky rhythm and undeniable flair. The track is just as interesting, if not more, as a good old fashioned cat-and-mouse chase as Adiidas carefully toys with his signature sound.
Just as “Mouse” gets into the thick of its stealthy groove, Georgia P. jumps on the track with striking, show-stopping bars — weird enough to meet Adiidas on his own level. We’re obsessed with how she works the track to her advantage here.
There’s plenty more where this came from. The full 5-track EP from Adiidas releases on July 23rd. Get ready!
Adiidas – Mouse ft. Georgia P. [LISTEN]


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text:
A METHOD PAPER: A STUDY ESTABLISH ORGANIC POULTRY FEED AND FISH FEED USING LOCAL AGRICULTURE BY-PRODUCT
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to conduct research on paddy by-product to be used as a new source of material for poultry feed and fish feed.
Background: The paddy industry produces wastes from rice bran (RB) and rice husk (RH) produces the major proportion (nearly 30%) of rice production. Paddy-industry are rich in many bioactive and nutraceutical compounds, such as polyphenolics, carotenoids and dietary fibre among others. are a major valuable biomass and present potential solutions to problems of animal nutrition and the worldwide supply of protein and calories, if appropriate technologies can be used for nutrient addon and enrichment.
Methodology: A total of twelve experimental diets were formulated where’s six experiment for poultry and six experiment for fish, with the fish meal diet as the control. Ten chicken (G. domesticus hybrid) chicks obtained from a local hatchery, weighing 35 ± 1 g and measuring 6 ± 0.5 cm were used for each diet formula, totalling to 120 chicks. Ten Black Tilapia (O. mosambicus) fingerlings obtained from a local hatchery, weighing 5.5 ± 0.3 g and measuring 5 ± 0.5 cm were used for each diet formula, totalling to 120 fingerlings. The chicks and fingerlings were allowed to adapt to their surroundings for two weeks followed by four days to acclimatize towards the new diets and fed twice a day to apparent satiation. Six diets containing rice bran at increasing replacement levels of fish meal at 10% (RB) 5 % (RH), 20% (RB) 30 % (RH), 40% (RB) 50 % (RH), 60% (RB) 5 % (RH), 70% (RB) 5 % (RH), were evaluated in the growth studies. Chicken and fingerlings were randomly selected and measured at the beginning of every week for. Study of the standard length, total length and weight gain were used as indicators for growth. All data collected from nutrient analysis, digestibility trials and growth studies were expressed as mean and standard error mean (SEM) and used to determine the efficacy of the alternative protein source on the growth of the chicken and fingerlings.
Result: Based on the results of the preference test, paddy by product were selected as the best alternative animal and plant protein to substitute fish meal at different inclusion levels for chicken but not so good for fish. The study on growth show that Even though the use of rice bran at high-rise ratios of the chicken is still able to have a chicken digestive system still be able to digest the food even as to inhibit the growth of chickens while not to face the fish which will cause death to fish.
Conclusion: Paddy can be used as a substitute for material sources for animal feed. For further studies, the study should be implemented in depth.

domain: agronomy