Sunday, March 16, 2008


Falmouth and Camborne is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

Falmouth and Camborne (UK Parliament constituency) Boundaries
Following its review of parliamentary representation in Cornwall, the Boundary Commission for England has created a new constituency of Camborne and Redruth, which takes many electoral wards from this seat.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Louis Auchincloss
Louis Stanton Auchincloss (born September 27, 1917) is a prolific American novelist, historian, and essayist. Born in New York City, he grew up in the privileged classes about whom he would write, attending St. Bernard's School, The Groton School, and Yale University, where he was editor of the Yale Literary Magazine, and a member of Scroll and Key Society. After serving in the Navy in World War II, Auchincloss wondered whether to become a writer or a lawyer; finally, he realised both (despite not completing undergraduate studies at Yale, he was admitted to and attended law school of the University of Virginia), writing a novel per year whilst working as a wills and trusts attorney with Hawkins, Delafield & Wood.
Among Auchincloss's best-known books are the multi-generational sagas The House of Five Talents; Portrait in Brownstone, and East Side Story; The Rector of Justin, the tale of the beloved headmaster of a school like Groton trying to deal with changing times; and The Embezzler, a look at white-collar crime. Auchincloss has patterned his writing after that of Henry James and Edith Wharton.
Auchincloss was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1965. He received the National Medal of Arts in 2005.

Selected works

The Indifferent Children (1947)
Sybil (1952)
A Law for the Lion (1953)
The Great World and Timothy Colt (1956)
Venus in Sparta (1958)
Pursuit of the Prodigal (1959)
The House of Five Talents (1960)
Portrait in Brownstone (1962)
The Rector of Justin (1964)
The Embezzler (1966)
A World of Profit (1968)
I Come as a Thief (1972)
The Dark Lady (1977)
The Country Cousin (1978)
The House of the Prophet (1980)
The Cat and the King (1981)
Watchfires (1982)
Exit Lady Masham (1983)
The Book Class (1984)
Honourable Men (1986)
Diary of a Yuppie (1987)
The Golden Calves (1988)
Fellow Passengers: A Novel in Portraits (1989)
The Lady of Situations (1990)
Three Lives (1993)
The Education of Oscar Fairfax (1995)
Her Infinite Variety (2000)
The Scarlet Letters (2003)
East Side Story (2004)
The Headmaster's Dilemma (2007)

Friday, March 14, 2008


The French Air Force, officially the Armée de l'Air (Army of the Air), is the air force branch of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909, it is the oldest air force in the world.

General description
As the chief of the Armed Forces, the President of France makes defense policy. The Prime Minister is responsible for national defense. The Minister for Defense is responsible for the execution of military policy. He is advised by the Head of Staff of Armies (CEMA) with regard to the use of forces and the control of military operations. The Head Of Staff of the Air Force (CEMAA) determines doctrine for the Air Force and advises the CEMA on how to use French aerial forces. He is also responsible for the preparation and support of the Air Force. The CEMAA is assisted by the staff of the Air Force (EMAA), directed by the general major general (GMG), and by the services of the police headquarters, responsible for military staff management of the Air Force (DPMAA), service of the police station of the air, service of the material of the Air Force, service of the infrastructure of the air, and the integrated structure of maintenance in operational condition of the aeronautical materials of Defense (SIMMAD). Finally, the CEMAA is assisted by two inspections: the inspection of the Air Force (IAA) and the inspection of the health services of the Air Force (ISSAA).

First level: the central level of command
The French Air Force is founded on the principle of separation of responsibilities between two main types of commands: operational commands (responsible for force projection) and organic commands (in charge of conditioning and logistical support).

Second level: Main commands
The air base is the essential combat tool of the Air Force, whose operational activity never ceases.
The commander of an air base has authority over all units stationed on the base, approximately 600 to 3,500 people. He supervises their conditioning and the execution of orders. Flying activity in France is carried out by a network of bases, platforms and radars of air defense. It is supported by a dozen bases, which are supervised and maintained by staff, centers of operations, warehouses, workshops, and schools.
The bases are organized for flexibility and rapid response. Both in France and abroad, bases have similar infrastructure to provide standardized support. Naval units are spread to give themselves certainty that, on all air bases, they will find the necessary means to execute their missions. This operational mode allows for fast and easy creation of air bases outside of France.
Overseas, a collection of fighters, transport aircraft, and helicopters allow for quick responses to any request for assistance that falls within international agreements. It also ensures the defense of French interests. On average, a base platform, made up of about 2,200 men and women (or nearly 5,500 people including family members), provides an economic boost of about 60 million euros per annum. Consequently, determining the sites for air bases constitutes a major part of regional planning.

History
The French Air Force operates a wide-ranging fleet of aircraft, everything from fighters to transport aircraft and passenger transports to helicopters. It currently maintains some 560 aircraft. 150 comprise the air mobility force (CFAP) and include aircraft such as the C-160 and the C-130 Hercules. The CFAP also includes 80 helicopters like the Super Puma and the Ecureuil. 330 fighter aircraft are incorporated into 19 squadrons charged with different missions. Finally, the French Air Force has a fleet of aircraft, including Alpha Jet, Xingu, Epsilon, and Tucano, to meet training requirements. These air assets are supported by ground units and a sophisticated infrastructure.
The "Future French Forces 2015" concept allows for 300 front-line fighters, mainly composed of the new generation fighter, the Rafale.

French Air Force Aircraft inventory

Main article: List of French Air Force bases Bases

Main article: List of French Air Force aircraft squadrons Units
The surveillance and communications command is charged with detection and communication.

Strategic air command (CFAS)

2/3 Normandie-Niemen

Thursday, March 13, 2008

ESTP
See also École spéciale des travaux publics
ESTP (Extroverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving) is one of the sixteen personality types from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter.
Referring to Keirsey, ESTPs belong to the Artisan temperament and are called "Promoters".

Myers-Briggs Characteristics
According to Keirsey, ESTPs, or "Promoter Artisans", are the most adept among the types at manipulating other people. The ESTP knows everyone who matters and everything there is to do. They like to indulge themselves in the finer things in life and to bring other people with them. Their goal in life is to sell themselves and their ideas to others. Dramatic and debonair, they are gifted at earning others' confidence.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Macedonian dynasty
The following is a list of emperors of the Byzantine Empire belonging to the Macedonian dynasty, who were of Greek and Armenian descent and which is associated with the Macedonian Renaissance:

Basil I the Macedonian (Βασίλειος Α') (811 - 886, ruled 867 - 886) - married Eudokia Ingerina, mistress of Michael III; died in hunting accident
Leo VI the Wise (Λέων ΣΤ' ο Σοφός) (866 - 912, ruled 886 - 912) – likely either son of Basil I or Michael III;
Alexander (Αλέξανδρος του Βυζαντίου) (870 - 913, ruled 912 - 913) – son of Basil I, regent for nephew
Constantine VII the Purple-born (Κωνσταντίνος Ζ' ο Πορφυρογέννητος) (905-959, ruled 913 - 959) – son of Leo VI
Romanos I Lekapenos (Ρωμανός Α' ο Λεκαπηνός) (870 - 948, ruled 919 - 944) – father-in-law of Constantine VII; coemperor, deposed by his sons & entered monastery
Romanos II the Purple-born (Ρωμανός Β' ο Πορφυρογέννητος) (939 - 963, ruled 959 - 963) – son of Constantine VII
Nikephoros II Phocas (Νικηφόρος Β' Φωκάς ή Νικηφόρος Β' ο Φωκάς) (912 - 969, ruled 963 - 969) – Strategos; married Romanus II's widow, regent for Basil; assassinated
John I Tzimiskes (Ιωάννης Α' Κουρκούας ο Τσιμισκής) (925 - 976, ruled 969 - 976) – brother-in-law of Romanus II, lover of Nicephorus's wife but banned from marriage, regent for Basil
Basil II the Bulgar-slayer (Βασίλειος Β' ο Βουλγαροκτόνος) (958 - 1025, ruled 976 - 1025) – son of Romanus II
Constantine VIII (Κωνσταντίνος Η')(960-1028, ruled 1025 - 1028) – son of Romanus II; silent coemperor with Basil II
Zoe I (Ζωή Α') ((c. 978 - 1050, ruled 1028 - 1050) – daughter of Constantine VIII
Romanos III Argyros (Ρωμανός Γ' ο Αργυρός) (968 - 1034, ruled 1028 - 1034) – eparch of Constantinople; Zoe's first husband, arranged by Constantine VIII; murdered
Michael IV the Paphlagonian (Μιχαήλ Δ' ο Παφλαγών) (1010 - 1041, ruled 1034 - 1041) – Zoe's second husband
Michael V the Caulker (Μιχαήλ Ε' ο Καλαφάτης) (1015 - 1042, ruled 1041 - 1042) – Michael IV's nephew, Zoe's adopted son
Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (980 - 1056, ruled 1042) – daughter of Constantine VIII, coempress with Zoe
Constantine IX Monomachos (Κωνσταντίνος Θ' ο Μονομάχος) (1000 - 1055, ruled 1042 - 1055) – Zoe's third husband
Theodora (Θεοδώρα) (ruled 1055 - 1056) – restored

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Committee on Standards in Public Life
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an advisory non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom Government.
The committee was established in 1994 by Prime Minister John Major in response to concerns that conduct by some politicians was unethical - for example, allegations of taking cash for putting down parliamentary questions.
The Committee's original terms of reference were:
'To examine current concerns about standards of conduct of all holders of public office, including arrangements relating to financial and commercial activities, and make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements which might be required to ensure the highest standards of propriety in public life.'
Public Office covers Ministers, civil servants and advisers; Members of Parliament and UK Members of the European Parliament; Members and senior officers of all non-departmental public bodies and of national health service bodies; non-ministerial office holders; members and other senior officers of other bodies discharging publicly-funded functions; and elected members and senior officers of local authorities'
In 1997 Tony Blair extended the Committee's terms of reference 'To review issues in relation to the funding of political parties, and to make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements'
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is constituted as a standing body with its members appointed for up to three years. Sir Alistair Graham succeeded Sir Nigel Wicks as Chair on 26 April 2004. Sir Nigel succeeded Lord Neill as Chairman on 1 March 2001, and Lord Neill succeeded Lord Nolan, the Committee's first Chairman, on 10 November 1997.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Nikos Barlos
Nikos Barlos (Greek: Νίκος Μπάρλος; born July 12, 1979 in Patras, Greece) is a Greek professional basketball player who currently plays for AEK Athens BC. He was a member of the national team that won the silver medal in the 2005 Mediterranean Games