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Belen family safe after Boston marathon attack
The race clock was at 4:09.44 when the first explosion ripped through the crowd gathered near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon on Monday.
Less than 30 seconds later, a second device detonated.
In that 26th mile — the one dedicated to the Newtown shooting victims — three people died and more than 140 were injured when two bombs ended the race in a way no one could have ever predicted.
Belen native Arlene Espinoza was one of the tens-of-thousands of people in Boston on Monday to participate in one way or the other in a tradition that is "very Bostonian," she said.
Marathon Monday is a day for old and young alike to turn out and cheer for the endurance runners capable enough to qualify for the marathon as they wend their way along the 26.2 miles of streets.
"It was an amazing day. Everyone was very enthusiastic," said Espinoza via phone from her Boston hotel room Monday night. "There was no indication anything was wrong."
Espinoza had finished the race, coming in at 3:47.45 — not the sub-three time she wanted, but finished nonetheless — and was sitting in the restaurant of the host hotel just past the finish line.
"I was sitting there, drinking a glass of water when it happened. Everyone was startled, trying to figure out what was going on," Espinoza said. "No one knew what happened. Was it a cannon, fireworks, something planned for the race? At first we thought it was all part of the excitement."
Espinoza walked to a large bay window looking out onto the street. The glass in the windows of the building across the street were shaking from the concussion.
And then she saw people running, crying. Parents holding their children.
She and the other athletes at the hotel were told to stay put.
"Organizers told us, 'No one is leaving, you're staying here,'" Espinoza said.
So she and thousands of others waited to hear what happened — and waited to know if her loved ones were alright.
"I couldn't get hold of my mom and dad. They disabled the phones right away. But I knew they were going back to the hotel room after I finished, and that was further away," Espinoza said.
For most marathoners, running in Boston marks the pinnacle of their career, said Espinoza.
"It isn't like you can just come here and sign up for the marathon; you have to qualify," she said.
Espinoza, who now lives and trains in Albuquerque, said while she qualified for the race, she was able to attend thanks to the help of her massage therapist and chiropractor.
"They kind of Band-Aided me together. I really thought I would break three this marathon. I finished the first half like I wanted, but in mile 14, I got a terrible hip spasm. It locked up my whole leg," she said. "My game plan changed then and there to just finish and be proud I finished."
Even though she didn't finish with the time she wanted and with the horrific end to the event, Espinoza said without a doubt, she will be back.
"I will be back next year, no question about that. My friends and I will continue to represent New Mexico everywhere," Espinoza said. "This is a lot of work and emotion."
One thing that she found unique to this race was the support from the crowds, mile after mile.
"I have never run a marathon where I've had support from mile one to mile 26," she said. "This is something very Bostonian. It is very much woven into the community. Everyone comes out, young and old.
"And the people helping at the finish line, they are all volunteers. They love it and want to be a part. They don't have to be there. It is so sad that this much attention is being shined on this event for something so negative."
Her mother, Dolores Espinoza, said she and her husband, Jesse, were back at the hotel when the explosions happened. This was not the first time the couple had been at the marathon — her husband ran last year.
"There were record (temperatures) last year and there were ambulances all over. I commented to my husband that this was nothing like last year," Dolores said. "I no sooner said that, emergency services started going crazy."
And last year, their daughter waited for three hours near the finish line to see her father finish his race. Espinoza waited on the spot where the first bomb exploded on Monday.
-- Email the author at email@example.com.


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Horsemeat scandal has acted as an important wake-up call to us all
Posted: March 29, 2013|
Have you eaten any caterpillars lately, or perhaps a few fried locusts? A recent survey found that some three thousand species of insects and their larvae are eaten by people worldwide – but not of course in the UK, where such exotic foods are culturally unacceptable. We don't eat horsemeat either, much to the disdain of our neighbours across the channel, where it is considered routine.
A colleague who works in France profonde told me that in her area (the far south) horsemeat is only eaten by the poor.
While on holiday in Iceland many years ago I bumped into a local vet who, with the easy fellowship of our profession, invited me both to lunch (we had a nice wild salmon as I recall) and to spend an afternoon with him on his rounds. One of his calls was to a farm to see a very lame Icelandic pony. It proved a truculent patient, so (as is the norm in those parts) hobbles and ropes were applied and, with the assistance of the farmers' two burly sons, the horse was cast, rolled on to its back and trussed up like a chicken. Following an inspection of the offending foot, the vet pronounced the pony incurable. 'Never mind' said the farmer nonchalantly, 'we'll put it in the freezer.'
I have eaten horsemeat a few times in Europe and cannot remember what it tasted like, which suggests it was neither repellent nor delicious. Interestingly my horse-owning clients, when asked, have never expressed any revulsion at the thought of people eating horse, just that they wouldn't eat it themselves. The key issue in the current scandal is the finding that horsemeat adulteration of beef by criminals seems to have been happening on an industrial scale, although you will have noted that there are no reports of anybody becoming ill as a result.
Much has been made of the risk to human health if a burger was eaten which contained phenylbutazone ('bute'-contaminated horsemeat). It has been calculated that a person would have to eat 500-600, 100% horsemeat bute-contaminated burgers a day to get close to consuming a human's daily dose, so the risk is theoretical rather than practical. Nevertheless, the drug should not be present at all and it behoves all of us to ensure that it never is.
Bute is a relatively inexpensive, generally safe and very useful drug. It is used widely to treat arthritis in old horses and without it they would either be left to languish in pain or have to be destroyed. Although it was clinically effective (I can remember my father taking it for a bad back) it is not quite so safe for humans and was withdrawn from the human market. Because in Europe the horse is considered a food animal and because of concerns that bute-contaminated horses would enter the food chain, the drug was banned in the EU. However vets in Britain and Ireland were permitted to continue to prescribe it, provided the horse's passport was endorsed permanently to exclude the horse from slaughter for human consumption. The recent finding of traces of 'bute in eight out of 206 horse carcases in the UK suggests that, in these cases, either the passports of these horses were not endorsed, or they had duplicate or fraudulent passports, or the drug was given without specific veterinary authorisation (a common occurrence).
It is probably fair to say that members of my own profession have sometimes been a little lax in ensuring passports are endorsed – there tends to be other things on one's mind when treating a sick horse – but the recent scandal has acted as an important wake-up call to us all.
The dog's breakfast that is the passport system is deeply flawed and open to widespread abuse. Responsibility for this can be laid squarely at the feet of Defra, a branch of government that has ignored a lot of the advice of the equine industry on this subject, and had to be forced by the EU in 2009 to accept compulsory microchipping (which already had been introduced in all other EU countries years before) – a key requirement to prevent passport fraud. The fact that the introduction date was July 1 – i.e. at the end rather than the start of the foaling season – illustrates how remote Defra was from the reality on the ground. The ludicrous situation whereby there are some 80 different passport- issuing organisations (PIOs) and, with the demise of the National Equine Database (funding was withdrawn by Defra in October) and no central register, illustrates how far we have to go to reform the system. Enforcement has been so poor one PIO was able to issue 7,000 passports after it ceased to be an approved organisation due to the low standard of its record-keeping.
Defra is consulting on reforming horse passports and I am trying not to be too cynical about the outcome. Apart from the now-widespread testing of meat products for adulteration, perhaps we can hope that an additional benefit that will flow from the recent horsemeat scandal will be, at last, a robust, fraud-proof horse passport system.
Kieran O'Brien is a vet at EqWest Equine Veterinary Clinic, Tavistock. Telephone 01822 613838.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Two people interviewed by police after clubber is injured in New Cross
Two people have been interviewed under caution by police investigating how a clubber sustained a horrific facial injury after leaving a New Cross nightclub.
Punters are now more willing to trade the markets as economic confidence revives, the UK's biggest spread-betting firm IG Group said today.
14 January 2014
The first thing I thought when I heard about the arrest of former Premier League striker DJ Campbell regarding allegations of fixing in matches was 'this is a real gift for headline writers.'
12 December 2013
The City's vices were under attack today by Government as spread betting and fags were targeted.
28 November 2013
Traders were like a weather vane in a storm today — they didn't know which way to turn. Conflicting signals — as hawkish minutes from the US Federal Reserve last night contrasted with the dovish tone of deputy chairman Janet Yellen's speech earlier this week — caused confusion to reign.
21 November 2013
After their storming start to the season, fans of Arsenal could be forgiven for vowing to 'bet their house' on the Gunners beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
13 November 2013
Stephen Lee faces a potential life ban from snooker after being found guilty of match-fixing.
17 September 2013
Arsenal have confirmed they are investigating "as a matter of urgency" whether academy coach Mark Arber bet on the signing of Mesut Ozil.
06 September 2013
Shares in Bwin.party, owner of the Party Poker and Bwin betting sites, crashed 9% today after the gambling giant warned that full-year revenues will fall by at least 14%.
30 August 2013
Fears of military action in Syria, which caused stock markets to tumble this week, eased today and the FTSE 100 index was upbeat as merger and acquisition activity lifted the mood.
29 August 2013
The British and Irish Lions should be renamed the Welsh Warriors for tomorrow's deciding Test against Australia.
05 July 2013


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…George London had it ALL! He was as impressive on stage as he was the wonderful colleague and friend in his private life. This is why he will have the place of honor in my heart." BIRGIT NILSSON
George London
Notable quotes
George London was a rarity in the world of opera. He had a commanding physical presence together with a beautiful voice which he used with an accomplished technique. He was a great artist and my good friend." ROBERTA PETERS
I have never forgotten how George accepted my performance of Donna Anna with himself as the Don in Vancouver in 1958. His belief in my ability gave a huge boost to my confidence, something he did for so many young singers during his spectacular career."JOAN SUTHERLAND
Long before our first meeting I had heard, of course, what a formidable singing actor George London was. That meeting occurred backstage, after I had sung in a competition. What I discovered that day, and on subsequent occasions, was a man of rare understanding, compassion and wisdom, all of which he imparted to people he came in contact with."CATHERINE MALFITANO
George London's career
One of the most compelling American vocal artists, George London (1920-1985), was born in Montreal. When he was 15, the family moved to Los Angeles, where he received his early musical education. After scattered appearances in opera and operetta on both coasts, he was signed by Arthur Judson at Columbia Artists Management. He became the baritone member of the Bel Canto Trio in 1947 with soprano Frances Yeend and tenor Mario Lanza and they concertized nationwide.
Realizing the need for a dramatic breakthrough, London went to Europe in 1949 to gain the needed stage experience. Fortune smiled on him immediately because, after a highly successful audition with Karl Böhm, he was instantly engaged by the Vienna State Opera. His debut as Amonasro made London an overnight sensation. His star stature was further enhanced by similar successes in Figaro at Edinburgh in 1950 and in Parsifal at Bayreuth during the 1951 Festival, providing the natural culmination for the career of an American singer. That fall he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera.
Reaching the top with remarkable speed, London retained his enviable position among the world's most acclaimed singers for the next two decades. Notable among his 22 Metropolitan roles, in addition to those already mentioned, were Don Giovanni, Scarpia, the four villains in Les Contes d'Hoffman and the Flying Dutchman. He sang many of these same roles in Vienna, where he remained a local favorite to the end of his career. Other international engagements followed in Buenos Aires, La Scala, Salzburg, and Paris. In 1960, he became the first American to sing Boris Godunov at the Bolshoi Theater, a characterization that lives on in a memorable recording.
Among the many "first" milestones in London's career, we recall his appearances in the Met's first Arabella (Richard Strauss) and The Last Savage (Menotti). He was the first American to sing Mozart in Salzburg and the Dutchman in Bayreuth. Wotan (Die Walkure) is perpetuated on records, as is his classical interpretation of Mussorgsky's Song and Dances of Death.
George London's singing career was cut short by illness. He subsequently became Artistic Director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (1968-1971) and Director of the National Opera Institute (1971-1980) as well as heading the Washington Opera (1975-1980) before succumbing to a heart ailment.
The wide-ranging, warm bass-baritone voice that emerges from George London's recordings was enhanced on stage by a strikingly handsome appearance and an uncommon acting ability. He left an unforgettable impression as a captivating Don Giovanni, a haunting Boris Godunov, a properly brooding Eugene Onegin, a mysterious Dutchman, a tortured Golaud and Amfortas, a suavely malevolent Scarpia, and a dashing Escamillo.
by George Jellinek
Note on the author:
George Jellinek was the beloved host of WQXR's The Vocal Scene and long time interviewer with the George London Foundation recital series before his passing in 2010.
Download a PDF version of George London's discography here.


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WooHoo!! Congratulations to Shakespeare for completing his AKC Grand Championship Now he is an International Champion, a UKC Champion, and an AKC Grand Champion. (Sorry to say we lost Shakespeare suddenly on September 26, 2012. We miss him much!)
View pedigree
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text:
QAPI Webinar Series – Part 4
Date(s) - February 25, 2014
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Part 4 of 6
Building the Capacity for QAPI Plans: Making Data Work for You – CASPER Reports with AANAC
Where do we start? How do we communicate what QAPI is to our staff and get them involved? What is a QAPI Plan? These are questions being asked by homes across Missouri. This six part webinar series will address the major components of QAPI and help your team build the capacity it needs to make QAPI come to life.
This webinar will discuss how to read your CASPER reports and explain why this is so important to all of your quality improvement efforts, how it impacts reimbursement, and influences the survey process.


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H.R. 1388 passed. Moves potential Hamas members to USA
EVERYONE IN THE U.S. needs to know….
We've just spent $20,000,000 to move members/supporters of Hamas, a terrorist organization, to the United States; housing, food, the whole enchilada.
H.R. 1388 was passed, behind our backs. You may want to read about it.
Obama funds $20M in tax payer dollars to immigrate Hamas Refugees to the USA . This is the news that didn't make the headlines…By executive order; President Barack Obama has ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in "migration assistance" to the Palestinian refugees and "conflict victims" in Gaza. The "presidential determination, "which allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with ties to Hamas to resettle in the United States, was signed and appears in the Federal Register.
Few on Capitol Hill, or in the media, took note that the order provides a free ticket replete with housing and food allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the parliamentary election of January 2006.
Now we learn that he is allowing thousands of Palestinian refugees to move to, and live in, the US at American taxpayer expense.
To verify this for yourself: www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2009-02-04-E9-2488


text:
Solanum dulcamara is a common European weed called woody nightshade, bittersweet or douce amère. It grows in hedgerows, gardens and wasteland throughout Europe and spreads via underground stems.
It has been used in folk medicine across Europe for hundreds of years. But Michel Felix Dunal, who worked on Solanum in the 1800s, realised that many of the powers attributed to this plant were spurious.
Woody nightshade was used to treat skin conditions, circulatory conditions and breathing problems like asthma. It was included in the official British Pharamcopeia until 1907, but was taken out of later editions.
It carries the bacterium - Ralstonia solanacearum – that causes brown rot in potatoes. The disease can be spread to potatoes from infected woody nightshade growing on riverbanks if the river water is used to irrigate potato fields.
Solanum dulcamara leaves vary in size and shape. So, what should you look out for?
Solanum dulcamara is found on most continents and favours open spaces. It likes disturbed soil and can establish itself from just a piece of stem thrown on the ground. Find out more.
Bees help pollenate Solanum dulcamara flowers. Find out how.
Solanum dulcamara harbours the bacterium that causes brown rot in potatoes. The bacterium fails to harm the woody nightshade but can devastate potato crops.
Find out about the conservation status of this weed.
Get reference material for Solanum dulcamara
Solanum dulcamara is found in open areas such as sea shores.© S Knapp
Solanum dulcamara fruits, bright red when ripe.© S Knapp
Solanum dulcamara being pollinated by a bumblebee.© S Knapp
Solanum dulcamara common European weed called woody nightshade, bittersweet or douce amère.© S Knapp
Leaves of Solanum dulcamara.
A flower of Solanum dulcamara.
Merit researcher in botany, focussing on the taxonomy of the nightshade family Solanaceae.
'Solanum dulcamara is one of a group of about 50 species for which I am doing an in-depth taxonomic treatment. It is one of only four in this group that occur in the northern hemisphere and is really interesting because of its huge geographic range and its incredible variability.'


text:
A special BIOS includes a program application manager (PAM) and a file system structure (FSS) that points to addresses on a mass storage device (MSD) for an application and at least one presentation playable by the application. The BIOS calls the PAM on startup, and the PAM checks for an application, and finding same loads and executes the application before loading the operating system (OS). In a preferred embodiment the FSS is programmable, and the system after OS boot is started checks MSD devices for new FSS parameters, and finding same loads the parameters to the programmable FSS of the BIOS. In some embodiments parameters may cause presentations and associated applications to be accessed and executed in a rotating or serial order. In other embodiments the BIOS represents its own address space in RAM to the OS at OS boot to include the application, enabling the application to continue to execute during OS boot. In further embodiments a special driver is executed after OS boot to bind the application into the OS configuration so the application may continue to operate in a stable manner.
1. A method for calling an application on a computer before booting an operating system (OS), and continuing to execute the application during OS boot, the method comprising:
(a) including a preboot application manager (PAM) software in a BIOS directing computer initialization and the OS boot;
(b) calling and executing the PAM upon startup prior to OS boot;
(c) checking a file system structure (FSS) in the BIOS by the PAM for pointers to the application;
(d) loading the application to a RAM and executing the application under the control of the computer;
(e) presenting, at OS boot, an address extent of a protected memory region as including the application; and
(f) continuing to execute the application during OS boot.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
8. The method of
9. A computer system, comprising:
a pre-boot application manager (PAM) in a BIOS of the computer system for directing computer initialization and an operating system (OS) boot;
a random access memory (RAM); and
an operating system (OS);
wherein the BIOS is shadowed to the RAM at power-on or reset, the PAM executes to check a file system structure (FSS) in the BIOS for a pointer to an application, upon finding the application the application is loaded to the RAM and executed under the control of the computer system, and at the OS boot, the BIOS represents a BIOS space in RAM to the OS as including a space of the application.
10. The computer system of
11. The computer system of
12. A basic input-output system (BIOS), comprising:
a BIOS code portion for initializing a computer system and loading an operating system (OS); and
a preboot application manager (PAM) portion;
wherein, after shadowing to a RAM, the PAM portion is called and executed prior to loading the OS, and causes one or more applications to be executed under the control of the computer system before loading the OS, and wherein, at an OS boot, the BIOS represents the extent of its address space in the RAM to include the one or more applications, thereby enabling the one or more applications to continue to execute during OS boot.
13. The BIOS of
The present invention is a continuation in part (CIP) to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/988,603, filed on Dec. 10, 1997, and entitled Method and Apparatus for Standardizing Use of Non-Volatile Memory Within a Bios-Rom. The prior case is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The present invention is in the field of Basic Input Output System (BIOS) systems and has particular application to methods and apparatus including software for accessing a mass storage device to execute an application by utilizing unused flash or other non-volatile memory within a computer BIOS system chip and then continue using it after booting the OS.
The present invention relates to system Basic Input Output Systems (BIOS). It is well-known in the computer arts that a BIOS program is provided, particularly for personal computers, to manage the intricate and critical operations of testing and initializing system hardware and, in general, preparing the computer and its connected peripherals for operation. Part of this procedure is widely known as a Power-On Self Test (POST) sequence. Beyond the POST procedure, the BIOS directs Boot operations, typically from a designated Boot device, such as a connected hard disk drive, and after Boot BIOS routines are accessed as needed to support operations such as communication between the connected digital devices that make up the computer system.
In early stages of PC development a relatively small, non-volatile, read-only memory (ROM) chip was more than adequate for system BIOS, and the relatively slow access to ROM was also adequate. As PC technology has developed to much faster CPUs and a wide range of ever more powerful and sophisticated peripheral devices, BIOS development has been forced to keep pace. BIOS routines have become much larger than early systems, and high operating speed has become necessary.
As a result of system development it is now common in state-of-theart systems for BIOS to be compressed in a ROM chip, and for BIOS routines to be shadowed to system random-access memory (RAM) where the routines may be accessed and executed and much higher speeds than is possible running directly from ROM.
At the same time that BIOS routines have been enhanced and further developed for more sophisticated and powerful PCs, there has been parallel development in ROM chips. One such development is known as Flash ROM. Flash ROM is non-volatile IC memory that may be erased, either as a whole or in specific blocks, and overwritten with new memory values. BIOS is now provided in high-end PCs in these Flash ROM chips, providing new advantages, such as an ability to address system bugs in the field. BIOS can hence be "re-flashed" in the field to provide a new version, for example, such as by downloading a new version from the Internet, and re-flashing the existing BIOS ROM with the new version.
In a related development, flash ROM chips have been made larger and faster, and for various reasons related to economy of scale it has become uneconomic to make small flash ROM chips. At the time of the present patent application flash ROM chips are readily available in sizes of, for example, 1 mega-bit, (1 Mb), and 2 and 4 Mb and larger. These sizes relate to the more common byte-related memory capacity designation by a factor of eight. A four Mb Flash ROM the has a code capacity of 512 kilobyte (KB).
As a consequence of the availability of relatively inexpensive, large flash ROM chips, and the fact that compressed code is now common in BIOS, it is quite common at the time of the present application for system BIOS in Flash ROM to occupy considerably less than the total memory capacity of the chip. At the same time, because rapid development of new peripherals and expanded functionality of others, such as video displays, which are now high resolution and in color, there is a need for initialization of many devices at system start up, and initialization of all the devices cannot be included in the system BIOS all of the devices. Many such devices (VGA adapters, for example) therefore have BIOS functions provided by the manufacturers of the devices.
With the use of larger ROM chips, and particularly with Flash ROM, it is now possible for original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and the like to use extra memory capacity in a ROM chip storing BIOS functions for providing BIOS functions for peripherals, and also other routines, such as, for example, pre-boot security routines. With the present state of the art, however, it is necessary that a third party cooperate closely with a BIOS provider to add to and enhance the functionality of a BIOS chip; The partitioning, addressing, size, and other characteristics of the chip have to be known by the third party, and the structure and storage estate of the resident code has to be known as well.
A system known to the inventor allows a third party to flash in BIOS instructions for plug-n-play devices and certain utility applications so that they may be executed before or during the booting of the OS. Such a convention described as a virtual ROM (V-ROM) BIOS may be altered via a third party without requiring that the editing party have intimate knowledge of the architecture or data mapping of the chip. This system is described in the parent application referenced above.
It is desirable, in addition to flashing in certain added boot instruction to pre-boot operation, to be able to initiate and execute certain applications that would normally and conventionally depend upon a full loading of the OS before access is possible.
What is clearly needed is a BIOS system that has a program installed for finding, initializing, and executing certain applications from a hard drive or other mass storage device (MSD) before an operating system has loaded. Such a program would allow such as multimedia applications to play in a pre-planned manner providing advertisement or other viewer-targeted information before the operating system is loaded. It would further be desirable for such a system to allow pre-boot applications to run during loading of the operating system, and even to be registered and integrated with the operating system to continue to run after the operating system is loaded.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for calling an application on a computer before booting an operating system (OS), and continuing to execute the application during OS boot is provided, the method comprising steps of (a) including a preboot application manager (PAM) software in a BIOS directing computer initialization and operating system (OS) boot; (b) calling and executing the PAM upon startup prior to OS boot; (c) checking a file system structure (FSS) in the BIOS by the PAM for pointers to an application; (d) loading the application to RAM and executing the application; (e) at OS boot, presenting the address extent of the BIOS as including the application; and (f) continuing to execute the application during OS boot.
In further embodiments there is a step for calling a special driver after OS boot to register the application and include it in the OS configuration, thereby enabling the application to execute in a stable manner after OS boot. The PAM in some applications may be a part of a configurable virtual random access memory BIOS (VROM BIOS) implemented in flash memory.
In another aspect of the invention a computer system is provided, comprising a pre-boot application manager (PAM) in a system BIOS directing computer initialization and operating system (OS) boot; a random access memory (RAM); and an operating system (OS). The BIOS is shadowed to RAM at power-on or reset, the PAM executes to check a file system structure (FSS) in the BIOS for a pointer to a pre-boot application, upon finding a pre-boot application the application is loaded to RAM and executed, and at OS boot, the BIOS represents the BIOS space in RAM to the OS as including the space of the application.
In some embodiments of the system there is a special driver called after OS boot to register the application and include it in the OS configuration, thereby enabling the application to execute in a stable manner after OS boot. The PAM may be a part of a configurable virtual random access memory BIOS (VROM BIOS) implemented in flash memory.
In yet another aspect a basic input-output system (BIOS) is provided, comprising a BIOS code portion for initializing a computer system and loading an operating system (OS); and a preboot application manager (PAM) portion. After shadowing to RAM, the PAM portion is called and executed prior to loading the OS, and causes one or more applications to be executed before OS loading is initiated, and wherein, at OS boot, the BIOS represents the extent of its address space in RAM to include the one or more applications, thereby enabling the one or more applications to continue to execute during OS boot. The BIOS may be implemented as a virtual random access memory (VROM) BIOS in flash memory. In embodiments of the present invention, for the first time, it is possible to call and execute an application, such as a telephony application, very quickly after power on, and the application may continue to execute and be available to a user while the operating system boots, and even after the operating system is booted.
FIG. 1 is an enhanced BIOS memory map of a compressed BIOS in a 2 Mb Flask ROM according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates the BIOS code map of FIG. 1 decompressed and shadowed to RAM in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the software architecture of a VROM system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a table illustrating the structure of a third party software installation check for a VROM BIOS according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a field definition table for the fields represented in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a table illustrating third party software functions according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a table illustrating VROM List structure and an accompanying definitions table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a process flow chart illustrating process steps according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a process flow chart depended from the flow chart of FIG. 8 illustrating an application loading sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing location of programs in a to memory map and transfer of controls in an alternative embodiment of the invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a system BIOS is provided in flash ROM together with a unique driver associated with the BIOS as a mechanism for prioritizing, enabling, disabling, adding, and deleting plug-ins. The BIOS of the invention is not limited to Flash ROM, but could be applied to other types of reprogrammable non-volatile memory. Flash ROM is considered by the inventor to be a good choice for illustrating the several aspects of the invention, because some BIOS products in a preferred embodiment of the invention will be provided in Flash ROM.
In this specification the BIOS is named a Virtual ROM BIOS (VROM BIOS) and the unique driver which is part of the BIOS is termed the VROM-DVR. Given a flash-chip-resident VROM BIOS produced by a BIOS manufacturer according to an embodiment of the present invention, having an instance of the VROM-DVR, a cooperating third party, such as an OEM, may develop and install plug-ins in the Flash ROM adapted for a wide variety of purposes. In one aspect and embodiment of the invention plug-ins may be prepared and provided to OEMs by the BIOS manufacturer, and an OEM may then install the appropriate mix of plug-ins for a known or expected system architecture.
In another aspect of the invention third parties may be licensed or otherwise authorized to use a VROM development application provided by the BIOS manufacturer to develop and provide to the marketplace new VROM plug-ins. In some aspects end users may be able to also purchase and install plug-ins, such as by downloading from the Internet, for example.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the process of preparing and installing VROM-compatible plug-ins in a VROM BIOS works generally as follows: First a developer, using a VROM development application, prepares a plug-in incorporating the functional code to be installed. The functional code is accompanied by installation code compatible with the VROM-DVR of the VROM BIOS. In a system to which this plug-in is to be installed, the VROM BIOS is copied to RAM. This is a physical copy of the ROM chip arrangement of code, not the shadowing that takes place when a BIOS is initiated. The installation code accompanying the plug-in calls the VROM-DVR, which manages the addition of the function code of the new plug-in to the VROM BIOS copy in RAM.
In the installation process the VROM-DVR performs several operations, including checking for adequate space in the BIOS map for installation. In some embodiments, if the space is not available, the user may be prompted for approval to delete one or more resident modules to create room for the new plug-in. In others access may simply be denied, with explanation. If there is adequate space, the VROM-DVR adds the functional code of the new plug-in to the VROM BIOS RAM map, and then calls a reflash sequence to flash-erase the existing code in the BIOS chip, and to then copy the new RAM map to the chip.
It is not necessary that the developer or installer have any detailed knowledge of the chip itself, or of the mapping of VROM BIOS code on the chip. The VROM-DVR is specific to these facts and manages the installation according to necessity.
The VROM-BIOS is also adapted to manage deletion of plug-ins from a VROM BIOS chip in a fashion similar to that described above for code additions. A compatible program can call the VROM-DVR an initiate deletion of one or more modules, after which the chip may be reflashed to a new form. Other functions of the VROM-DVR are described below.
In many embodiments of the invention the VROM-DVR as a part of the VROM BIOS has other functionality, such as prioritizing and enabling plug-ins. The VROM-DVR may, for example, cooperate with POST code to scan for plug-ins, and enable and initiate plug-ins found.
FIG. 1 is a VROM BIOS 100 memory map illustrated in a compressed state in a 2 Mb (512 KB) Flash ROM chip according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein VROM BIOS 100 has been enhanced with a unique VROM-DVR 101. The 2 Mb ROM chip is not limiting to the invention, which is applicable to other sizes, but 2 Mb is considered an adequate choice for illustrating aspects of the invention.
As an analogy, VROM-DVR 101 may be thought of in some respects as acting something like a mini-operating system that would read and write to a hard drive on a computer, except that in this case it is adapted to read from and write to the flash memory in BIOS 100. This unique and innovative approach allows a third party, such as an OEM, to add or remove. components to and from BIOS 100 without intimate knowledge of the architecture and code content and residence of BIOS 100.
As described above, in a typical system ROM BIOS code is shadowed to RAM at startup. Since the code in the BIOS chip is compressed, decompression is typically accomplished as the code is passed to RAM. FIG. 2 is a RAM map of BIOS code after decompression and transfer to RAM. The amount of memory for BIOS and associated code in. RAM is, of course, an issue, as memory is a precious resource in any system. The first set of operations to be performed by the BIOS code is the Power On Self Test (POST), and, after its use, this part of the code need not be retained in RAM, because it is not utilized during normal operations after POST, and will not be needed again until the system is powered down and restarted.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, memory addresses of data blocks in this embodiment are shown to the right of each block, and will be familiar to those skilled in the art. VROM-DVR 101 written into BIOS 100 during manufacturing provides a mechanism and method for prioritizing, enabling, disabling, adding, and deleting plug-ins without requiring intimate knowledge of chip architecture or code residence. The VROM-DVR is a code sequence that may be accessed by a CPU and executed, and is specific to a VROM-BIOS and its Flash ROM, having structure and/or access to stored data specific to the VROM BIOS version and the specific chip upon which the VROM BIOS is stored, in this example a 2 Mb Flash ROM.
Referring to FIG. 1, in addition to an 8 KB Boot Block, there is a 4 KB plug and play (PnP) utility, written in as extended system configuration data (ESCD), 4 KB of P6 Micro-code (known in the art), a 4 KB code decompression and memory sizing sector, and a compressed BIOS sector comprising the compressed BIOS function code. Section 103 is a 64 KB section reserved for plug-ins provided by an OEM, and section 105 is a 64 KB section reserved for add-in routines such as a Video Graphics Array (VGA) adapter, a small computer systems interface (SCSI) driver network and PC card plug-ins, and the like.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary BIOS memory map of the BIOS code of FIG. 1 shadowed to RAM according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this instance, runtime routines, IBM compatible code, and system set up routines are shown. Address location in RAM is illustrated to the left of FIG. 2 as is known in the art. 64 KB of power on self test (POST) code is shown in the shadowed RAM, and this same sector is shown again as empty after booting as element 109. This POST code is no longer needed after boot.
In the VROM BIOS the POST code is adapted to recognize added plug-ins and BIOS extensions, to relocate such plug-ins and extensions out of Flash ROM into shadow RAM, and to look for a signature and activate each such module by executing the module's INIT routine.
Table 111 in FIG. 2 represents locations in RAM where add-in device modules in section 105 of FIG. 1 are shadowed in this exemplary embodiment. The amount of add-in data or plug-n modules that may be employed is only limited by the amount of available unused flash-memory.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating software architecture of a VROM BIOS system according to an embodiment of the present invention. An application layer 113 represents a user interface adapted to enable a third party to prepare plug-ins to be added to a VROM BIOS having a VROM-DVR according to the invention, and includes in this example a software development kit (SDK) and application program interface (API) library. Examples of add-in programs may include but are not limited to virus protection programs, disk utility programs, network card scanning programs, and so on.
VROM driver 115 is the driver on the Flash ROM chip in this example (VROM-DVR) and is adapted to access each VROM area on BIOS 100 of FIG. 1. VROM-DVR 115 is specific to a Flash ROM (or other non-volatile storage device) upon which it resides, to the VROM-BIOS integrated in the ROM, and also to the Operating System (OS) of a computer upon to which the VROM-BIOS will be applicable. VROM BIOS 119 is the code set on BIOS 100 providing BIOS functionality.
FIG. 4 is a table illustrating the structure of an Installation Check that allows application software to determine if a system has in fact a VROM BIOS according to an embodiment of the present invention. The Installation Check includes a searching method for a signature of the ASCII string "VROMBIOS" in system memory starting from 0F0000h to 0FFFFFh at every 16-byte boundary. The software can then determine if the structure is valid by calculating the checksum. The method to perform the checksum operation is to add up the length bytes from the top of the structure into an 8-bit value. A sum of zero indicates a valid structure. The entry points in this structure are the software interface to the VROM BIOS functions.
FIG. 5 is a field definition table for the various fields listed in FIG. 4. Beginning at the top of FIG. 5, the field Signature is represented as an American Standard Code for Information Exchange (ASCII) string which is a common method for representing text with symbols. For example the character string "VROMBIOS" could be used. The version field is a BCD value that is represented as in the following example (value of 10h=version 1.0) etc. Length field is the total bytes of the whole installation structure starting from the signature. Checksum field is a simple error detection scheme that is known in the art. Checksum adds up the bytes in an installation structure and a receiving station then compares values to verify a valid structure. Real Mode Interface is the segment offset to the entry point. Real mode is the mode in which DOS executes it's programs. 32-bit protected mode interface is a code segment base address. With protected mode memory space is protected from overlapping into another memory space assigned to a different program. The Windows_ operating system uses protected mode.
By incorporating both Real Mode and Protected Mode, add-in programs may be installed from DOS and from Windows_. It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that there are variations possible with respect to the tables presented in FIGS. 4 and 5 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, installation could be performed using a different platform such as O/S 2 or UNIX. In a preferred embodiment a Windows_ environment is utilized.
FIG. 6 is a table illustrating third party software function according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein listed functions are options to a third party such as a system integrator or a PC user. From top down, Function-0 Get VROM Lists returns VROM lists residing in flash VROM into a List Buffer where they can be analyzed. List Buffer as termed by the inventor must be large enough to hold all of the VROM lists. The next function is Function-1 Get VROM Size which returns the VROM size in bytes to the calling software. Function-2 Enable/Disable VROM List allows the caller to enable or disable the VROM List in the VROM lists. The VROM buffer as termed by the inventor must be large enough to store all of the VROM data. Function-3 Read in VROM Data allows a third party calling software to read in VROM data from VROM List area. Function-4 Add/Delete VROM Data allows third party calling software to add or delete VROM data.
It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that a third party calling software may be utilized by a software vendor that is licensed to provide the BIOS add-in program, a licensed system integrator, or by a user that has purchased a BIOS add-in program. Termed "VROM plug-ins" by the inventor, these add-in programs will typically be licensed products and can be either pre-boot functions or post-boot, BIOS-enabled functions.
FIG. 7 is a table illustrating a VROM List structure and an accompanying definition table according to an embodiment of the present invention. The inventor fully expects the list structure and accompanying definitions to be self-explanatory to those with skill in the art.
The VROM List tells the calling software application important information regarding where data is stored, how large each data block is, the type of data such as VGA, and so on. This data will change to reflect current status after an installation and/or deletion of a program. A mechanism (not shown) is also provided to offer a set of instructions in the event of a return error indicating a problem with the install. In one embodiment, a protection mechanism may restore previous settings by using a mirroring technique (known in the art) so that a backup or default installation may take priority.
It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that there are a variety of alterations that might be made in the embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Some of these variations have already been discussed, such as the use of other non-volatile storage devices other than Flash ROM, and differing sized of storage devices that may be used other than the 2 Mb ROM described in embodiments herein. There are many other such variations. It is well-known, for example, that programmers have individualistic ways to structure code, and many variable code structures may accomplish similar ends. Similarly there are many sorts of plug-ins that may be accomplished to a VROM BIOS according to an embodiment of the present invention. Some may accomplish pre-boot functions, and others may accomplish post-boot BIOS-enabled functions. Among the many possibilities are disk utility programs, virus protection programs, PC card scanning programs, specific device BIOS code, and the like.
Pre-boot Application Manager (PAM)
In one aspect of the present invention a BIOS extension module is provided and adapted to locate, initialize, and execute certain applications, including multimedia applications in a preferred embodiment, from stored location on a hard drive or other connected mass-storage-device (MSD) before normal booting of the operating system. The extension module, termed a pre-boot application-manager (PAM) by the inventors, may be provided as part of a normal BIOS, or as part of a V-ROM BIOS described in the disclosure referenced above as a parent application and incorporated herein by reference.
In a preferred embodiment, a V-ROM BIOS as known to the inventors is used because of versatile flash-in capabilities inherent to the device. A PAM in embodiments of the present invention is a software module installed or flashed in as an extension to a system BIOS such as a V-ROM BIOS. A PAM module in this embodiment comprises separate parts that take up residence in specific areas of V-ROM-BIOS. For example, a NVM part of PAM is resident in NVM (non-volatile-memory) and is loaded and executed by V-ROM. A post-boot part of PAM is implemented for accessing or setting up new MSDs, finds required driver information (location and type), and binds that information into a third part or file-system-structure (FSS) module, which then becomes a part of NVM resident code. One with skill in the art will appreciate that the functional implementation of a PAM into a BIOS chip, whether flashed in, or pre-installed, will follow BIOS convention during execution such as compression, shadowing, and addressing techniques that have already been described with reference to FIGS. 1-7 above. Therefore, the inventors deem that the process steps described below will be sufficient for explaining the present invention in an enabling manner.
FIG. 8 is a process flow chart illustrating logical process steps for V-ROM execution of a PAM according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the method and apparatus of the present invention is provided and integrated with V-ROM functions as described above. This process assumes that a flashable V-ROM chip is installed and operable according to previous embodiments as taught in disclosure above.
In step 121, pre-boot BIOS operation begins. In step 123, V-ROM calls and executes a PAM module. Step 133 represents a pre-boot mode during which time PAM begins operation. At step 135, PAM accesses and scans it's FSS module for valid MSD information such as type, size, OS parameters, and so on. If MSD information pointers are available, indicating that a device is recognized, then the designated MSD is analyzed in step 137. This step confirms parameters for a match such as type (SCSI, IDE), size, (capacity, available memory), format (number of boot partitions, type of OS), and so on. At step 139, PAM determines if a match has been made. If yes, the process resumes with steps illustrated in FIG. 9, step 140. However, if there is no match, then it is assumed that the system has been modified (given different instruction) or the MSD is a new device and has to be re-set.
Assuming for purpose of description that the system is being booted for the first time after flash-in, or that a new default MSD is being added, there would be no match in step 139. At this juncture, PAM sets a flag (step 141) which may be a simple binary code so that new parameters associated with the new MSD may be loaded into BIOS for the next boot operation. Such parameters may include any required information including but not limited to driver location and identification for accessing and launching any pre-boot applications such as videos, static ads, audio ads, or other pre-boot informative displays. The process then proceeds as illustrated via directional arrow back to step 125 to boot the OS.
After OS booting initiated in step 125, an FSS driver having capability of accessing and analyzing a connected MSD is activated in step 127, along with other system drivers. At step 129, the driver checks for the pre-set flag set in step 141. If the flag is found, which means that there is currently no valid MSD installed, the process proceeds to step 143 where the new MSD is analyzed. At step 145, the parameters associated with MSD drivers and other drivers that are generic to pre-boot applications intended to be executed during pre-boot operations, are located on the MSD. At step 147, such parameters are loaded and prepared for transfer into the FSS module of step 135. After completion of transfer of parameters from the MSD into the FSS module at step 149, normal system operation, including complete booting of the OS resumes in step 151.
The next time that the system is powered on, the new changes are recognized during pre-boot analysis and any loaded ads including multimedia ads will be accessed and displayed automatically, after which the OS will be booted. If however, there is no flag set in step 141, then there will be no flag found in step 129. This assumes that required information was already accessed, loaded and matched in step 139 during a previous boot event. If so, then the process proceeds to FIG. 9 as previously described.
FIG. 9 is a process flow chart depended from the flow chart of FIG. 8 illustrating an application loading sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates the loading sequence for accessing an MSD and displaying such as advertisements according to matched information contained in the FSS module of step 139 (FIG. 8). In step 140, the FSS module accesses and loads MSD drivers into NVM. In step 142 any application drivers are similarly loaded. At step 144, any targeted application programs (ads) are loaded from the MSD. The loaded application(s) is then executed in step 146. The application's driver is then executed in step 148 in a manner consistent with normal execution under a fully loaded OS. The application(s) is displayed during the time from power-on to OS-load. (pre-boot and possibly during-boot). A new flag is then set at step 150 which will point to any new additions or changes to the pre-boot advertisements for the next boot-up.
The process flow sequence as taught above in FIGS. 8 and 9 is meant to be exemplary of one such process that could be implemented in practice of the present invention. There are many variations that may be included without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In one embodiment for example, an ad schedule may be downloaded from a switched packet network to an MSD. The ad schedule may include several individual ads, such as perhaps MPEG video clips, wherein one clip will be played per pre-boot event in serial order (rotated). An FSS driver capable of disseminating the ad schedule, and identifying the appropriate ad and application driver will set a new flag for the next ad after playing the previous ad. In this way, the next time the system is powered on, the new ad will be loaded and played.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an application is provided as part of PAM software that resides on a connected MSD and can communicate with counterpart software in system BIOS. In this embodiment, any new ads of any media type may be selected by a user and flashed into BIOS at any time during normal operation. Similarly, such ads and driver information may be flashed into BIOS by a third party utilizing a connected network server adapted for the purpose. After the system is powered on, the new pointers are registered and retained into system BIOS (FSS module). These pointers may indicate, in some embodiments, a new or alternately selected MSD device on which the ads reside.
In still another embodiment, an FSS module may be segmented to contain separate blocks of information pertaining to more than one MSD having separate ads resident thereon. This variation may reflect a number of individual video-display-units (VDU's) networked together and having minimal and individual MSD capability. A main booting station and MSD connected to the network of VDU's may provide BIOS initialization for each connected unit. In this embodiment, pre-boot ads or instruction may be personalized to individuals assigned such VDU's.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram depicting how a pre-boot application may be loaded and enabled to execute before the operating system loads, during the time the operating system loads, and to be registered and used after the operating system has booted.
In FIG. 10 element 151 represents the Flash VROM described above, wherein the BIOS code is shadowed (arrow 155) to upper addresses of random access memory (RAM) 153 as is typical in the art. In alternative embodiments the Flash VROM shown could be BIOS ROM of other sorts as well. After the BIOS code is operable in RAM, the BIOS loads a pre-boot application as described above, from either the code previously shadowed to RAM in this example or from a mass storage device (MSD) 159, as illustrated by arrow 161 and also previously described in other embodiments above.
In this embodiment a step is taken beyond the steps to enable a pre-boot application in previous examples. That step is that the BIOS represents both its own address space and that of the pre-boot application as part of the BIOS, so the OS will not overwrite either during boot. This may be done in different ways depending on the operating system, which are generally well known.
By this process, the pre-boot application may continue to operate during the time the OS loads, indicated by arrow 163. In some cases it may operate beyond that point, but to assure a stable system is presented for operation, another step is needed.
The further step activates at the time the OS finishes loading. At this point in time in this embodiment a special driver, previously included in the OS configuration, is executed. This driver then either relocates the application to within the OS, or binds the application into the OS controlled space by "freeing" the resources for the OS, but using them at the same time. In Windows 98™ for example, the driver could use the conventions of the virtual address descriptor (VAD) in conjunction with the virtual memory manager (VMM) to mark the extent of the "recovered" space.
Although the process itself seems very complicated when compared to a conventional boot operation followed by an immediate launch of a desired application, real-time issues have to be considered to understand the advantages of the unique system provided by this embodiment of the invention. Even though an OS boot takes only 30-90 seconds, in some situations that may be an unacceptable length of time to wait for an application to be launched. For example if the user must make an emergency phone call using the computer system to be booted, he or she may have to wait 90 seconds in a conventional system. In a system according to the embodiment presented here, the pre-boot phase may be in the milliseconds or in the low seconds if an MSD such as a hard disk is used.
The embodiment described above teaches a method for loading one application to execute before, during and after OS boot. It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the method may be extended to load and execute more than one such application. For example, one may configure a VROM or other BIOS to load both an address book, and an IP telephony application enabling IP telephone calls. One might also include an e-mail client. There are many such possibilities, and communication applications are clearly desirable candidates. There are, of course, other possibilities. For example, a writer may wish to go directly to a word processor.
There are many variant possibilities for presenting pre-boot applications. Therefore, the method and apparatus of the present invention should be afforded the broadest scope. The spirit and scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
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W.Va. DEP behind schedule on gas drilling reports
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The Department of Environmental Protection is late producing a report on the gas industry's use of wastewater impoundments because it wants to remove recommendations from West Virginia University researchers.
Secretary Randy Huffman tells The Charleston Gazette he hopes to have a final report ready when legislators convene next month.
He says the researchers went beyond the scope of their mission in making suggestions about the handling of wastewater.
Huffman says there's nothing wrong with their recommendations, but that's not what was requested.
He also says the study had formatting problems.
It was one of three that lawmakers mandated in 2011 when passing new drilling regulations.
Huffman says a second one on noise, light and dust from drilling sites is nowhere near complete.
A third report is due in July.
The Herald-Dispatch welcomes your comments on this article, but please be civil. Avoid profanity, obscenity, personal attacks, accusations of criminal activity, name-calling or insults to the other posters. Herald-dispatch.com does not control or monitor comments as they are posted, but if you find a comment offensive or uncivil, hover your mouse over the comment and click the X that appears in the upper right of the comment. If you do not want your comment to post to your personal Facebook page, uncheck the box below the comment.


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The emphasis of the text is on data analysis, modeling, and spreadsheet use in statistics and management science. This text contains professional Excel software add-ins. The authors maintain the elements that have made this text a market leader in its first edition: clarity of writing, a teach-by-example approach, and complete Excel integration. This edition has been revised to be compatible with Excel 2007 and the corresponding add-ins for Excel 2007.Edition/Copyright: 3RD 09
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What's the story behind your user name?
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 257
Re: What's the story behind your user name?
Originally Posted by
Drummer Karl
Michael...now that`s very complex and confusing stuff.
Haha, just kidding.
Mine is so simple as well:
Karl is my first name obviously and even more obvious: I`m a drummer.
By the way, I`m soooo happy I didn`t choose "Jazzer Karl" for example...personally I think the word "Jazzer" has an ironic or insulting undertone. The reason for this word-phobia is the music class teacher at our school. He always offends the Jazzband leader (who`s a real Jazz cat and lover) and me by using damn stereotypes about "Jazzers"...he`s a pianist coming more from the classical scene, especially church music. Of course it`s all fun but he caused this word phobia anyway. :-D
I get that from classical music snobs all the time. They don't like any genre except classical... And they hate jazz more than rock! I've never been called a jazzer because I'm as good at jazz as I am at Quantum Physics, but being called a rocker is pretty annoying too. What's a musicist slur for classical musicians? : )
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Emotional Awareness: An Essential Tool for Back to School
Aug 27, 2014 - Posted by SchoolFamily in Social and Emotional Development, Back to School
Recent Blog Posts
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Join our bloggers as they share their experiences on the challenges and joys of helping children succeed in school.
by Eve Sullivan Getting kids ready to start school may have been simple in the past, but not today. Ads scream "Order this…buy that…and your child will be safer, smarter, happier!" And young people, ... Read more
Help your child begin the school year with some simple organizational skills and family routines to encourage school success, right from the start. Here are five easy ways to help your family keep school priorities on track: ... Read more
Recently, I wrote about some back-to-school organization tips to help students who are disorganized or have problems managing their time. A daily routine that includes time for getting ready for the next day is very helpful. ... Read more
Some of the schools near me start in two weeks! It is hard to believe the summer is almost over. If your child is disorganized and has trouble keeping up with everything and managing his time, you might be able to help. While... Read more
It's widely known that parents who are actively involved in their child's reading activities can significantly increase their child's literacy. Here are eight simple strategies you can use to encourage good ... Read more
Before very long, it will be time for the first test of the school year. Tests can be stressful, especially when students have not prepared well enough. Many students learn by studying flash cards. They are a great study meth... Read more
One of my favorite things in life is watching my grandson play. He doesn't need toys, although he does like them. He sometimes picks up a stick and one moment it's an airplane. Then it becomes a car, then a train,... Read more
The start of the school year is the perfect time to think about volunteering at your child's school. Any time you can spare would be beneficial. As a more involved parent, you increase your child's opportunities t... Read more
Many parents are shopping for school supplies, and most are using the list of supplies provided by their child's school. Some students have problems keeping up with their school "stuff." These kids lose penc... Read more
As August approaches, most young students are excited about starting a new school year. They are ready to go. However, some children experience anxiety about going to school. This can affect the entire family. Morning routine... Read more
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GStreamer on TI DaVinci and OMAP
|2009-06-11 22:44:27
|Memory Leak & Trace problem of Gstreamer on OMAP3 Platform
|Posted By: William Ni
Join Date: 2009-06-02
Location: AFGHANISTAN
Gstreamer version: 0.99.00
To use script to run gst-launch repeatedly, after about 100 times, there will be a memory allocating error. System will initial the oom-killer to kill all current processes to acquire memory.�
But if use the "free" command, you will find there are still many free memories. The system will kill all other processes to get memory even if there are still many free ones. Why? How can we trace the gstreamer allocating memory?
|2009-06-12 10:43:26
|Re: Memory Leak & Trace problem of Gstreamer on OMAP3 Platform
|Posted By: Don Darling
Join Date: 2008-11-13
Location: UNITED STATES
Hi William,
There have been a few memory leaks fixed on the trunk recently.� Unfortunately, the fixes did not make it in to 0.99 or 1.00.
Can you see if the problem still exists in the latest trunk?� I think this issue should be resolved by now, but if it hasn't please submit a bug in the tracker system.
Thanks and regards,


text:
KIDD James married Mary KEANE 1897
Information & Research Journal.
James Wighton KIDD and Margaret KEANE were married in Victoria in 1897.
James died 1932 in South Melbourne, Victoria, aged 65 years. Parents recorded as James KIDD and Jessie WHILTON. (sic)
Margaret's death not located.
Two children located Victorian records for James and Margaret.
James Edward KIDD.
Born: 1898 Carlton, Victoria.
Died: -
Married: Ella Kathleen GEMMILL.
Year: 1923.
Place: Victoria.
Ruth Charlotte KIDD.
Born: 1900 Carlton, Victoria.
Died: 1909 Carlton, aged 9 years.
Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria.
Corrections and further details to help complete this family record would be appreciated. Thank you.
on 2011-07-11 04:58:53
TONKIN lives in Victoria, Australia.
Please note.
Journals are intended to assist new researchers locate family lines in Australia and should only be used as a guide for follow up research and record searches as intended.
Due to spelling and informant errors appearing in the records, typo errors and my misreading of the records mistakes must be expected. Errors will be corrected when detected.


text:
- Blog - http://www.chelseagreen.com/blogs -
Gordon Edgar Reports from Cheese-A-Topia!
Posted By admin On September 3, 2010 @ 12:00 pm In Food & Drink | Comments Disabled
Gordon Edgar, author of the memoir Cheesemonger, A Life on the Wedge, reports in two recent blog posts about his recent trip to the American Cheese Society conference in Seattle. He was a judge and also gave a reading from the book (a somewhat difficult combination, he admits).
I am not a good traveler. It kind of hurts me to admit it, but it's true. If it's not anxiety, it's ailments. I knew it was risky getting on the plane to Seattle with a head full of allergy congestion, but wow… I was in serious pain by the time I landed even though it was only a 1.5 hour flight. My ears weren't just stuffed — I had about 25% of normal hearing in my left ear, 50% in the right – but they were painful. Like someone was jabbing them with icepicks. I felt like a cheesemonger Trotsky… but then I guess I do sometimes.
When I got to the Seattle Sheraton – home of the 2010 American Cheese Society Conference [1] – I ignored my cheesy friends, loading up on antihistamines, ordered terrible, overpriced room service, and went to bed. I had 1400-some cheeses to judge the next day.
Of course, as most of you know by now, I didn't have to judge that many cheeses myself. I was part of 15 teams of two dairy professionals – one aesthetic judge (me and other retailers, distributors, and/or writers) and one technical judge (usually a dairy scientist). We each taste and judge a few subcategories — about 50-60 cheeses a day. Then, we taste all the winners of each subcategory to decide on a winner for Best of Show. This year, that was about 100 more cheeses.
Dr. Nana Farkye (of Cal Poly) and me were a judging team. Chutarat from the Cheese Board Collective [3]and Bonnie from a cold storage company (that I didn't catch the name of) were the folks who kept the cheeses coming.
I can't count how many times I was asked, "How do you taste that many cheeses and not die?"
Read the rest of Gordon's entry on Cheese Judging here… [4]
After lending his expert palate to the monstrously delicious task of judging cheeses, Gordon had a reading from his book at The Calf and Kid.
I had no other options, but it was kinda crazy to schedule a reading after a day of judging cheese. I imagine that in any forum where one needs to use their voice, one is never given the advice to taste cheese for 8 hours beforehand. It does not exactly limber up the larynx. But Tuesday night before the cheese conference was really the only time I could do a book event and not be in competition with the officially sanctioned parties. Though I would miss a lot of the conference goers, I figured it would be a good event mixed with Seattle-locals and cheese travelers. And I love The Calf and Kid [5]. Sheri runs a really fabulous shop. (Plus she gave me a CD of her hubby's punk band!) One thing I hadn't realized was how loud it was going to be there. I had only been there once before and not all the businesses had opened yet. My addled, cheese-soaked voice had to compete with the restaurant next door. I decided I could only read short pieces. I could barely hear myself. I made everyone gather in close too. [6] (Sheana Davis, the mastermind behind Delice de la Vallee and the Epicurean Connection [7] organized all the cheese for the event. Pt. Reyes Toma, Nicasio Valley Cheese, Valley Ford Cheese, and Carr Valley Cheese amused the attendees when I cut my reading short-ish.) It's always great to do a reading with a lot of cheese folks because they really get into it. When I talk about oozy, nasty Taleggio, they've lived it themselves. Many came up to trade stories afterwards, and many are worse than the ones I tell. It was also handy because other folks jumped in to answer questions. Despite my voice woes, it was a wonderful event. I can't list everyone who was there but it was awesome to have cheese mentors like Judy and Charlie Creighton in the same room with some of my favorite cheese-friends, old friends, the cheese-curious, and even my agent! Thanks everyone! *Along with all my old friends and cheese friends, I also got to meet Kurt Reighley whose book United States of Americana: Backyard Chickens, Burlesque Beauties, and Handmade Bitters: A Field Guide to the New American Roots Movement [8] comes out this week! I haven't had a chance to crack it yet – too much cheese! – but I promise a review when I do. **There is also an account of the reading in Jeanne Carpenter's Cheese Underground Blog [9]Cheesemonger [10] is available in our bookstore.
Article printed from Blog: http://www.chelseagreen.com/blogs
URL to article: http://www.chelseagreen.com/blogs/gordon-edgar-reports-from-cheese-a-topia/
URLs in this post:
[1] 2010 American Cheese Society Conference: http://www.cheesesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2010-ACS-Judging-and-Competition-Results.pdf
[2] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/80806269@N00/4941949709/
[3] Cheese Board Collective : http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/cheese_bakery
[4] Read the rest of Gordon's entry on Cheese Judging here…: http://gordonzola.net/2010/08/30/cheese-a-topia-judging/
[5] The Calf and Kid: http://calfandkid.blogspot.com/
[6] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/80806269@N00/4942533522/
[7] the mastermind behind Delice de la Vallee and the Epicurean Connection: http://www.sheanadavis.com/
[8] United States of Americana: Backyard Chickens, Burlesque Beauties, and Handmade Bitters: A Field Guide to the New American Roots Movement: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061946494/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0671038699&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0F50J74HVBM4QQTGYRSY
[9] Cheese Underground Blog: http://cheeseunderground.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunburn-in-seattle.html
[10] Cheesemonger: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/cheesemonger:paperback
Click here to print.


text:
NBA 2K14 will feature Barcelona, 13 other European teams
Jul 5, 2013, 1:26 PM EDT
Basketball is an international game, and it's growing.
Selling video games is an international business.
So maybe we shouldn't be shocked by the news that the Euroleague has teamed up with the makers of NBA 2K14 to include 14 teams of the powerhouse overseas teams in the video game.
"We're absolutely delighted to be able to welcome top Euroleague teams into the NBA 2K series," said Jason Argent, senior vice president of sports operations for 2K Sports. "European basketball has an incredibly passionate following, and we're all excited to give fans the opportunity to take on Europe's best in NBA 2K14."
So finally you can have Ricky Rubio or Pau Gasol playing against Barcelona. The teams included are from the Euroleague, which is a tournament matching 31 of the best club teams from across that continent against teach other (basically the equivalent of soccer's Champions League).
Here are the 14 teams that will be part of the game:
• Alba Berlin
• FC Barcelona
• Real Madrid
• CSKA Moscow
• EA7 Emporio Armani Milano
• Montepaschi Siena
• Fenerbahçe Ülker Istanbul
• Anadolu Efes Istanbul
• Olympiacos Piraeus
• Panathinaikos Athens
• Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
• Zalgiris Kaunas
• Unicaja Málaga
• Laboral Kutxa Vitoria
Go ahead and shrug if you want and say you liked it better when Jordan was on the cover. This is going to sell more NBA 2K14 games in Spain, Turkey, Italy, and Russia and so this move makes sense for the makers of the video game.
And actually, it should be fun to see if you can get Pavel Datsyuk to lead CSKA Moscow past LeBron James and the Heat.
- micknangold - Jul 5, 2013 at 1:31 PM
That's pretty cool, but I wonder if you'll be able to use the teams and players in other modes besides exhibition.
- ryanrockzzz - Jul 5, 2013 at 1:40 PM
yea…if they can somehow allow you to use it in a Franchise mode, this game would just take it to a whole othe level with the depth.
- adoombray - Jul 5, 2013 at 11:11 PM
I don't see why not. Right now when you start Franchise you can customize the league. Can remove teams or re-align divisions. Like we all wouldn't drop Toronto and Charlotte for Barcelona and Moscow. Would love to see some Chinese teams in the future with our boy Starbury!
I think it's a fantastic move to increase awareness of the Euro guys. Maybe they'll be more than just those players with un-pronouncable names taken at the end of the first to the average American fan.
- reediddy - Jul 5, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Cool concept, it'll be fun to see how NBA/int'l teams match up on a virtual level.
Also, I'm confused. Pavel Datsyuk? Isn't he a hockey player?
- asimonetti88 - Jul 5, 2013 at 2:32 PM
Isn't Datsyuk a hockey player for the Red Wings?
- flippdaburd - Jul 5, 2013 at 2:33 PM
This is a first for NBA 2K but NBA Live and NBA Jam have had FIBA/Euroleague teams before.
- acdc363 - Jul 5, 2013 at 2:47 PM
NBA Live it is !
- adoombray - Jul 5, 2013 at 4:47 PM
They haven't even made NBA Live since '10. 2k is such a good series that its competitors don't even bother releasing titles anymore. Plus, 2k releases a PC version every year which no other major American sport or developer does. 2K does an excellent job reaching absolutely every customer who might want to buy the game, and I wouldn't love the sport half as much as I do if it wasn't for the hundreds of hours i've put into playing the game.
- cmehustle - Jul 5, 2013 at 3:07 PM
They should add a softness rating for all the Euro bigs.
- mattbarkley123 - Jul 5, 2013 at 3:21 PM
so dumb. who cares about those useless teams
- houseof666 - Jul 5, 2013 at 4:28 PM
Flop ratings!
- chunkala - Jul 6, 2013 at 1:20 AM
Right on about the softness and flop ratings.
Interesting idea but not sure I care about teams that play fake basketball under fake rules. Remember how pissed FIFA got when MLS changed their soccer rules? Canada/USA created basketball but for some reason FIBA governs the game and implements ridiculous rules.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely draft Duke freshman Kyrie Irving in Thursday's NBA Draft. ESPN is reporting that the Cavs are committed to doing so.
I understand the reasoning.
It's a PG league.
Point guards are needed because a lot of the better teams have quality ones. Chicago has 2010-11 NBA MVP Derrick Rose. Oklahoma City has Russell Westbrook. Memphis has Mike Conley. Boston has Rajon Rondo. New Orleans has Chris Paul.


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Focus your visit to Spain around Madrid and a stay at one of the the Paradores in the Rioja and Navarra Wine Region.
Visit Madrid, Capital of Spain since 1562, Madrid's museums host, among others, Dalís, Mirós and Picasso's Guernica. Madrid is a city of great contrasts: the Old City, the Madrid of the Hapsburgs, the Royal Palace, the Puerta de Alcala, the Retiro Park. At night, the city changes gears with its famous Madrid nightlife. The city's endless energy is hard to resist, and its sociable style invites you to jump right in.
The area around south of Madrid offers a variety of Paradors, each highlighting a very different experience.
ALMAGROCapital of Campo de Calatrava, it was closely linked to the Calatrava religious order which enjoyed great political importance during the Low Middle Ages. As in almost all Castilian towns, its centre is the Plaza Mayor. This is a rectangular building, with stone porches and wooden balconies running round it. Here are the most symbolic buildings, like the Open Air Theatre, the National Theatre Museum and the Town Hall. The Open Air Theatre declared a National Monument, dates from the 16th century and is a classical site where theatrical works were performed during the Spanish Golden Age. Its galleries, stage and dressing rooms can be visited
ALMAGRO - 4 stars
16th Century ranciscan Convent. The Convent of San Fransisco was built by the Dávila de la Cueva in 1596. It is located in an area of outstanding historic and artistic interest just 5 minutes from the main square. Here visitors have the opportunity to discover the prettiest corners of the town, including the ?corral de comedias? (open-air theatre) and the surrounding nature reserves.
138 miles from Madrid
CHINCHONIt is recognizable in the distance by its houses clustered together on hilltops. As well as its characteristic Plaza Mayor, with its wooden balconies and flat galleries, there is also the church of Nuestra Seńora de la Asunción (1534-1626), which was sacked and burned by Napoleonic troops in 1808. The current church was completed in 1828 and is a blend of Gothic, plateresque, Renaissance and baroque styles. Inside is the magnificent painting of La Asunción de la Virgen, painted by Goya. Prominent in the town centre are the nobles' mansions with their coats of arms and ancestral homes with beautiful courtyards and galleries resting on Doric, Ionic and Tuscan columns or with bases of stone.
CHINCHON - 4 stars
17th Century Augustinians Convent. Founded by the Lords of Chinchón in the 17th century, this former Augustinian convent houses monumental character set amongst that of Chinchón old town, with its emblematic Plaza Mayor main square. Cypress trees, roses and wild privets in the garden give a beautiful appearance, finished by the marvellous cloister and softened by the blue water in the pool. ,.
29 miles from Madrid
MANZANARESIs at the entrance to the land of Don Quijote, La Mancha. A small typical Manchegan Town with access to three of the most beautiful natural parks in the country. Originally the Castle of Manzanares, also known as Pilas Bonas was constructed on the site as a defense by the Order of Calatrava. Today the castle is a charming hotel.
MANZANARES - 3 stars
Estate with beautiful gardens of La Mancha character. This hotel is located on a La Mancha-style estate in the town of Manzanares, between three of the most beautiful natural parks in the country: Cabańeros, lńas Lagunas de Ruidera and las Tablas de Daimal Natural Parks. Trees, bushes, gardens, and plants impregnate this place with greenery, and with its swimming pool make for a very appetising setting within the La Mancha countryside.
112 miles from Madrid
OROPESAThe 13th-century Christian fortress is built onto the defensive wall that surrounds the whole historic centre. Besides climbing to the top of the tower, you can also spend the night - it is now a Parador Hotel. Less than 200 kilometers away, Consuegra is another stop not to be missed. From the top of the castle there is a unique view: the fields of La Mancha between the Tagus and Guadiana Rivers. The stars of the view are the seven windmills that became giants in Miguel de Cervantes's novel, Don Quixote.
OROPESA - 4 stars
15th Century Palace and Castle. The stately home of the Álvarez de Toledo, Counts of Oropesa, once the home of soldiers, clergy and noblemen, enjoys exceptional views of the Sierra de Gredos. The historic value of the Torre del Homenaje, a tower attached to the Parador, the columns of the courtyard, and the pool with outstanding views over the plains of Campo Arańuelo, make up a very attractive hotel.
99 miles from Madrid
TOLEDOHas its origins in Toletum, the name the Romans gave to this settlement on the banks of the River Tagus after its conquest in 190 BC. The city maintained its importance for centuries and, in the Visigothic era, became the capital of Hispania (6th C.). The arrival of the Arabs in the 8th century, together with the presence of Christians and Jews, made Toledo the ?city of the three cultures?. This was one of the Toledo's most splendid periods when, among other important events, the Toledo School of Translators was founded. Later, when Carlos V came to the throne in 1519, the city became an imperial capital. The way that Christians, Arabs and Jews lived side by side for centuries have been reflected in the form of a great artistic and cultural legacy.
TOLEDO - 4 stars
Toledo cigarral with views over the city. On the hill called Cerro del Emperador by a meander of the river Tajo, this hotel in Toledo offers an unequalled panorama of the monumental silhouette, with its greatest jewels, the Cathedral, the Alcázar and the synagogues. In the hotel you can also enjoy the refreshing swimming pool and plan outdoor leisure activities. From the bedrooms, lounges, terrace and pool the beautiful views of the Imperial City dominate, while the interior is remarkable for its spaciousness and luxury.
56 miles from Madrid
Madrid and South of Madrid with Paradores
Visit Madrid and then enjoy a delightful stay at one of the Paradores South of Madrid, among them 15th century Palaces and Monasteries.
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text:
England Under-18s moved to 3-0 on Day 2 at Future Stars with convincing victories over Bosnia & Herzegovina and Sweden at Surrey Sports Park, Guildford.
In their opening game of the day, a dominant second half led to a 64-47 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina. Luke Nelson led a balanced scoring effort from England with 11 points, Mo Soluade added 9 whilst Dwayne Orija finished with 8.
Bosnia & Herzegovina were led by 15 points from Ivo Garic and 11 from Predic Milenko.
After a two hour break, their second game of the day saw England dominated Sweden on the way to a 76-55 victory. The Under-18s held Sweden without a score for the first 7 minutes 12 seconds of the game, and saw their lead balloon to as many as 30.
Tyrell Isaacs had 14 to lead England, Mo Soluade and Luke Nelson added 12 each, whilst Kingsley Okoroh finished with 10 to join them in double figures. Marhusson led Sweden with 14 points.
"I thought our defence was exceptional," said assistant coach Karl Brown at the end of the day. "Our rotations were good and we've got build up our wall defensively to be successful in Europe; we were the best defensive team last year in the B Division so we're looking to try to do that in the A Division as well."
Other Games
Game 1
Bosnia & Herzegovina beat London United 66-55
Haris Curevac had 15 to lead Bosnia & Herzegovina, with Aleksandar Lazic adding 14. Andy Tamayo had 21 to lead London United, with Elvisi Dusha adding 14.
Game 2
Croatia beat Sweden 88-74.
P. Marinelli had 22, K Zganec had 16, whilst D. Jelener finished with 15 for Croatia. Ludde Hakanson had 19 for Sweden, J. Lofberg had 16.
Remaining schedule:
Saturday 29th June
13:00 Sweden v Bosnia & Herzegovina
15:00 Croatia v England
17:00 Sweden v London United Harefield Academy
20:00 Bosnia & Herzegovina v Croatia
Sunday 30th June
15:00 3rd / 4th Place
17:00 Final
- Ben Mead sat out the first game for England, whilst it was Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye who sat out the second after a suffering a nasty cut above the eye in the opening game.
- England starters against Bosnia & Herzegovina: Luke Nelson, Mo Soluade, Tamas Okros, Ben Lawson, Kingsley Okoroh.
- England starters against Sweden: Tyrell Isaacs, Mo Soluade, Ben Mead, Ben Lawson and Kingsley Okoroh.
- Couple of highlights on the first day with a full slate of games; Kingsley Okoroh dunked on Sweden's big man lightweight, whilst Luke Nelson dropped his defender before hitting the jumper against Sweden, and had a nice no look against B&H to Kavell Bigby-Williams for the dunk.
- Bosnia & Herzegovina played the majority of their game against England without their head coach, who got ejected early after receiving his second technical foul.
- Bosnia & Herzegovina's Nedim Buza, who is considered one of the best prospects in Europe in his age group, has sat out both of their games so far.


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Dean's Update, August 14, 2012
CBA and Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Participates in Certificate Program in Leadership & Membership Growth
On June 19 and 20, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) offered a Certificate Program in Leadership & Membership Growth through the USHCC Foundation Chamber Training Institute. This certificate was provided at the University of Notre Dame and was hosted remotely on the CSULB campus by the CBA and the local Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber Training Institute was free to chamber members thanks to a strategic partnership with Wells Fargo Bank and the USHCC Foundation made this certificate available to key chamber leaders, boards of directors, and other chamber members who would benefit from the topics. During this two-day certificate program, industry experts guided attendees through courses that included Legacyvibe Leadership (Our Legacy of Leadership – Past, Present, Future) and Membership Mole (Do What We Do Best).
Jerry Campagna of MOST/MST Latino, Inc. presented the courses. The first course was based on the personal operating system called VIBE (Values, Intentions, Beliefs, and Environment) that included self-assessment exercises and discussion about cultural influences that affect leadership perspectives. The second course assessed an organization's strengths using a team-based exercise to provide a refined Latino engagement strategy.Leaders from eighteen local businesses attended the program. Sandy Cajas, CEO of the Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said "this certificate is important because it will help our member businesses develop the vision and leadership they need to survive and be successful, and I thank the USHCC and Wells Fargo Bank for making this certificate available to businesses in our region."
In This Issue
- AACSB Updates
- Welcoming New Faculty Members to the CBA
- CBA Faculty Members Hitting Top Journals
- Molina Healthcare and California State University Long Beach Expand Partnership
- Entrepreneurship Certificate Attracts CSULB Students to Free Summer Program
- The Long Beach Small Business Monitor is Now Online
- Daytime Accelerated MBA Orientation July 6 to 8, 2012 Welcomed Our Largest Cohort
- CBA Center for Student Success Swings into Operation
- UCEL 2011-2012 Annual Report
- SCPD Moving Forward
- CBA and Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Participates in Certificate Program in Leadership & Membership Growth


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National Peanut Board Members and Alternates Appointed
AMS No. 194-12
Gwen Sparks (202) 260-8210
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2012 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed three members and four alternates to serve on the National Peanut Board.
Members and alternates will serve three-year terms of office beginning Jan. 1, 2013, with the exception of a Florida alternate who will serve for two years.
Reappointed members are: John C. Harrell, Whigham, Ga.; Bob White, Clarendon, Texas; and Francis Vic Jordan, III, Rayville, La. Alternate members are Jeffrey Pitman, Bascom, Fla.; Andy Bell, Climax, Ga.; Peter Froese, Jr, Seminole, Texas and Kyle Baltz, Pocahontas, Ark.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of the National Peanut Board in accordance with the Commodity Promotion Research, and Information Act of 1996 and the Peanut Promotion, Research, and Information Order.
Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966, when Congress passed the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 20 research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders. Visit
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