1.
City
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A city is a large and permanent human settlement. Cities generally have complex systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, housing, a big city or metropolis usually has associated suburbs and exurbs. Such cities are associated with metropolitan areas and urban areas. Once a city expands far enough to another city, this region can be deemed a conurbation or megalopolis. Damascus is arguably the oldest city in the world, in terms of population, the largest city proper is Shanghai, while the fastest-growing is Dubai. There is not enough evidence to assert what conditions gave rise to the first cities, some theorists have speculated on what they consider suitable pre-conditions and basic mechanisms that might have been important driving forces. The conventional view holds that cities first formed after the Neolithic revolution, the Neolithic revolution brought agriculture, which made denser human populations possible, thereby supporting city development. The advent of farming encouraged hunter-gatherers to abandon nomadic lifestyles and to settle near others who lived by agricultural production, the increased population density encouraged by farming and the increased output of food per unit of land created conditions that seem more suitable for city-like activities. In his book, Cities and Economic Development, Paul Bairoch takes up position in his argument that agricultural activity appears necessary before true cities can form. According to Vere Gordon Childe, for a settlement to qualify as a city, it must have enough surplus of raw materials to support trade and a relatively large population. To illustrate this point, Bairoch offers an example, Western Europe during the pre-Neolithic, when the cost of transport is taken into account, the figure rises to 200,000 square kilometres. Bairoch noted that this is roughly the size of Great Britain, the urban theorist Jane Jacobs suggests that city formation preceded the birth of agriculture, but this view is not widely accepted. In his book City Economics, Brendan OFlaherty asserts Cities could persist—as they have for thousands of years—only if their advantages offset the disadvantages, OFlaherty illustrates two similar attracting advantages known as increasing returns to scale and economies of scale, which are concepts usually associated with businesses. Their applications are seen in more basic economic systems as well, increasing returns to scale occurs when doubling all inputs more than doubles the output an activity has economies of scale if doubling output less than doubles cost. To offer an example of these concepts, OFlaherty makes use of one of the oldest reasons why cities were built, in this example, the inputs are anything that would be used for protection and the output is the area protected and everything of value contained in it. OFlaherty then asks that we suppose the protected area is square, the advantage is expressed as, O = s 2, where O is the output and s stands for the length of a side. This equation shows that output is proportional to the square of the length of a side, the inputs depend on the length of the perimeter, I =4 s, where I stands for the quantity of inputs. So there are increasing returns to scale, O = I2 /16 and this equation shows that with twice the inputs, you produce quadruple the output
2.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
3.
U.S. state
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A U. S. state is a constituent political entity of the United States of America. There are 50 states, which are together in a union with each other. Each state holds administrative jurisdiction over a geographic territory. Due to the shared sovereignty between each state and the government, Americans are citizens of both the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons covered by certain types of court orders. States range in population from just under 600,000 to over 39 million, four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names. States are divided into counties or county-equivalents, which may be assigned some local authority but are not sovereign. County or county-equivalent structure varies widely by state, State governments are allocated power by the people through their individual constitutions. All are grounded in principles, and each provides for a government. States possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution, Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization and incorporation, with the government playing a much larger role than it once did. There is a debate over states rights, which concerns the extent and nature of the states powers and sovereignty in relation to the federal government. States and their residents are represented in the federal Congress, a legislature consisting of the Senate. Each state is represented in the Senate by two senators, and is guaranteed at least one Representative in the House, members of the House are elected from single-member districts. Representatives are distributed among the states in proportion to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census, the Constitution grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union. Since the establishment of the United States in 1776, the number of states has expanded from the original 13 to 50, alaska and Hawaii are the most recent states admitted, both in 1959. The Constitution is silent on the question of states have the power to secede from the Union. Shortly after the Civil War, the U. S. Supreme Court, in Texas v. White, as a result, while the governments of the various states share many similar features, they often vary greatly with regard to form and substance
4.
Texas
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Texas is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population. Other major cities include Austin, the second most populous state capital in the U. S. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State to signify its former status as an independent republic, and as a reminder of the states struggle for independence from Mexico. The Lone Star can be found on the Texan state flag, the origin of Texass name is from the word Tejas, which means friends in the Caddo language. Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault, although Texas is popularly associated with the U. S. southwestern deserts, less than 10 percent of Texas land area is desert. Most of the centers are located in areas of former prairies, grasslands, forests. Traveling from east to west, one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hills, the term six flags over Texas refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory. Spain was the first European country to claim the area of Texas, Mexico controlled the territory until 1836 when Texas won its independence, becoming an independent Republic. In 1845, Texas joined the United States as the 28th state, the states annexation set off a chain of events that caused the Mexican–American War in 1846. A slave state before the American Civil War, Texas declared its secession from the U. S. in early 1861, after the Civil War and the restoration of its representation in the federal government, Texas entered a long period of economic stagnation. One Texan industry that thrived after the Civil War was cattle, due to its long history as a center of the industry, Texas is associated with the image of the cowboy. The states economic fortunes changed in the early 20th century, when oil discoveries initiated a boom in the state. With strong investments in universities, Texas developed a diversified economy, as of 2010 it shares the top of the list of the most Fortune 500 companies with California at 57. With a growing base of industry, the leads in many industries, including agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronics, aerospace. Texas has led the nation in export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product. The name Texas, based on the Caddo word tejas meaning friends or allies, was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves, during Spanish colonial rule, the area was officially known as the Nuevo Reino de Filipinas, La Provincia de Texas. Texas is the second largest U. S. state, behind Alaska, though 10 percent larger than France and almost twice as large as Germany or Japan, it ranks only 27th worldwide amongst country subdivisions by size. If it were an independent country, Texas would be the 40th largest behind Chile, Texas is in the south central part of the United States of America. Three of its borders are defined by rivers, the Rio Grande forms a natural border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south
5.
Austin County, Texas
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Austin County is a county in the U. S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,417, the county is named for Stephen F. Austin, who facilitated the Anglo American colonization of Texas and is known as the Father of Texas. Austin County is included in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area, Austin County is not to be confused with the city of Austin, the state capital city that lies in Travis County approximately 110 miles to the northwest. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 656 square miles. The population density was 36 people per square mile, there were 10,205 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 80. 22% White,10. 64% Black or African American,0. 28% Native American,0. 29% Asian,6. 99% from other races,16. 13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26. 9% were of German,8. 8% American,8. 0% Czech,6. 4% English and 5. 0% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 22. 80% of all households were made up of individuals and 11. 50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.14. In the county, the population was out with 27. 00% under the age of 18,8. 10% from 18 to 24,26. 40% from 25 to 44,23. 70% from 45 to 64. The median age was 38 years, for every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males, the median income for a household in the county was $38,615, and the median income for a family was $46,342. Males had an income of $32,455 versus $22,142 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,140, about 8. 80% of families and 12. 10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13. 70% of those under age 18 and 14. 40% of those age 65 or over. District 18, Lois Kolkhorst – first elected in 2006, district 13, Lois Kolkhorst – first elected in 2000. County Judge, Tim Lapham Tax Assessor-Collector, Marcus A. Peña – first elected in 2012. S, Highway 90 State Highway 36 State Highway 159 The TTC-69 component of the once-planned Trans-Texas Corridor went through Austin County
6.
Texas House of Representatives
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The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from districts for a term of 2 years. As of the 2010 Census, each represents a average of 167,637 people. There are no limits, with the most senior member, Tom Craddick. The House meets at the State Capitol in Austin, the Speaker of the House is the presiding officer and highest-ranking member of the House. The Speaker pro tempore is primarily a position, but does, by long-standing tradition, preside over the House during its consideration of local. Unlike other state legislatures, the House rules do not formally recognize majority or minority leaders, the unofficial leaders are the Republican Caucus Chairman and the Democratic House Leader, both of whom are elected by their respective caucuses. †Representative was first elected in a special election, eligio De La Garza, II, first Mexican-American to represent his region in the US House and the second Mexican-American from Texas to be elected to Congress. Ray Barnhart, Federal Highway Administrator Anita Lee Blair, first blind woman elected to a state legislature Jack Brooks, Representative and House Majority Leader John Nance Garner, U. S. Representative, Speaker of the House, and Vice President of the United States O. H. Ike Harris, Dallas County representative from 1963–1965, state senator Sarah T, charles Henry Nimitz Born in Bremen. In 1852, built the Nimitz Hotel in Fredericksburg, which now houses the National Museum of the Pacific War, grandfather of United States Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. Elected to the Texas Legislature 1890, rick Perry, longest serving Governor of Texas, Colonel Alfred P. C. Petsch Lawyer, legislator, civic leader, and philanthropist, veteran of both World War I and World War II. Representative and longest served Speaker of the House Coke R. Stevenson, Governor of Texas Sarah Weddington, weinert, coauthored bill to establish the Pasteur Institute of Texas, authored resolution for humane treatment of state convicts, coauthored the indeterminate sentence and parole law. The Chief Clerk is the custodian of all legal documents within House. When there is an update of the electronic source website. The report noted how representatives register votes for absent members on the Houses automated voting machines, each representative would vote for the nearest absent members. This practice was in violation of a Rule of the House, however
7.
Leighton Schubert
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On February 17,2015, he won a special election to succeed fellow Republican Lois Kolkhorst, who was instead elected to the Texas State Senate. Schubert, like Kolkhorst, was born in Brenham in Washington County and he graduated from Snook High School in Snook in Burleson County. He graduated from Texas A&M University and he obtained his legal credentials from the South Texas College of Law in Houston. He was a law clerk for then Attorney General Greg Abbott, in his campaign literature, he calls himself a conservative Republican. Schubert won the runoff contest for the House seat by defeating fellow Republican Carolyn Cerny Bilski of Sealy in Austin County,6,352 to 4,763 and he sits on the House Corrections and County Affairs committees. He is affiliated with Rotary International, Lions International, and the Chamber of Commerce, schuberts parents, Bobby Gene and Patsy Marie Becker Schubert, reside in Snook, as do his twin sister, Leigha, and her husband, Phillip Anelli. Campaign website State legislative page Leighton Schubert at the Texas Tribune
8.
Texas Senate
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The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U. S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per constituency, there are no term limits, and each term is four years long. Elections are held in even numbered years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, in elections ending in years ending in 2, all seats are up for election. Half of the senators serve a two-year term, based on a drawing. As such, in elections, about half of the Texas Senate is on the ballot. The Senate meets at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, the Republicans currently control the chamber, which is made up of 20 Republicans and 11 Democrats, as of January 10,2017. The Lieutenant Governor of Texas serves as the President of the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor may also cast a vote should a Senate floor vote end in a tie. Unlike other state legislatures, the Texas Senate does not include majority or minority leaders, instead, the President Pro Tempore is considered the second most powerful position, and can be reserved to any political party in the chamber regardless if the party is a majority or not. Presidents Pro Tempore are usually the most senior members of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore presides when the Lieutenant Governor is not present or when the legislature is not in regular session. For the 82nd Legislative Session, which began in 2011, there were two new, or freshman, senators, Brian Birdwell, a Republican from Granbury, and José R. Rodríguez. For the 83rd Legislative Session, which began in 2013, there were six new senators, including Sylvia Garcia, for this term of the Legislature the President of the Senate is Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The President Pro Tempore is Republican Craig Estes of District 30, Senator John Whitmire, a Democrat from Houston, is the Dean of the Senate, meaning he is the most senior member, having served since 1987. Senator Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, is the most senior member of his party, new senators elected in 2014 are Bob Hall, Paul Bettencourt, Van Taylor, Don Huffines, and Konni Burton, all Republicans. There have been at least three cases of quorum-busting in Texas Senate history. The first case was in 1870, with the Rump Senate, followed by the 1979 killer bees and finally the Texas Eleven in the summer of 2003, the following represents the Senate committee structure for the 85th Legislature. †Elected in a special election Edward Clark, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, wayne Connally, Senator from Wilson County, brother of Governor John Connally. Lloyd Doggett, Texas Supreme Court Justice, U. S. House of Representatives, robert L. Duncan, State Senator from Lubbock, 1996-2014, Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System since 2014 Chet Edwards, U. S. House of Representatives. Glenn Hegar, current Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, John Ireland, Texas Supreme Court Justice, Governor of Texas
