1.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
2.
California
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California is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area. Located on the western coast of the U. S, California is bordered by the other U. S. states of Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California. Los Angeles is Californias most populous city, and the second largest after New York City. The Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nations second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, California also has the nations most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The Central Valley, an agricultural area, dominates the states center. What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its war for independence. The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California, the California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes, with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom. If it were a country, California would be the 6th largest economy in the world, fifty-eight percent of the states economy is centered on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific and technical business services. Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the states economy, the story of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián, written as a sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts. This conventional wisdom that California was an island, with maps drawn to reflect this belief, shortened forms of the states name include CA, Cal. Calif. and US-CA. Settled by successive waves of arrivals during the last 10,000 years, various estimates of the native population range from 100,000 to 300,000. The Indigenous peoples of California included more than 70 distinct groups of Native Americans, ranging from large, settled populations living on the coast to groups in the interior. California groups also were diverse in their organization with bands, tribes, villages. Trade, intermarriage and military alliances fostered many social and economic relationships among the diverse groups, the first European effort to explore the coast as far north as the Russian River was a Spanish sailing expedition, led by Portuguese captain Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in 1542. Some 37 years later English explorer Francis Drake also explored and claimed a portion of the California coast in 1579. Spanish traders made unintended visits with the Manila galleons on their trips from the Philippines beginning in 1565
3.
Los Angeles County, California
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Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, is the most populous county in both the United States and the state of California, the countrys most populous state. Its population is larger than that of 42 individual U. S. states and it has 88 incorporated cities and many unincorporated areas and at 4,083 square miles, it is larger than the combined areas of the U. S. states of Delaware and Rhode Island. The county is home to more than one-quarter of California residents and is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the U. S and its county seat, the City of Los Angeles, is also its most populous city at about four million. Los Angeles County is one of the counties of California. The county originally included parts of what are now Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside, as the population increased, sections were split off to organize San Bernardino County in 1853, Kern County in 1866, and Orange County in 1889. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 4,751 square miles, Los Angeles County borders 70 miles of coast on the Pacific Ocean and encompasses mountain ranges, valleys, forests, islands, lakes, rivers, and desert. The western extent of the Mojave Desert begins in the Antelope Valley, most of the population of Los Angeles County is located in the south and southwest, with major population centers in the Los Angeles Basin, San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley. Other population centers are found in the Santa Clarita Valley, Pomona Valley, Crescenta Valley, the county is divided west-to-east by the San Gabriel Mountains, which are part of the Transverse Ranges of southern California, and are contained mostly within the Angeles National Forest. Los Angeles County includes San Clemente Island and Santa Catalina Island, non-Hispanic whites numbered 2,728,321, or 28% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race numbered 4,687,889, 36% of Los Angeles Countys population was of Mexican ancestry,3. 7% Salvadoran, and 2. 2% Guatemalan heritage. The largest Asian groups of the 1,346,865 Asians in Los Angeles County are 4. 0% Chinese,3. 3% Filipino,2. 2% Korean,1. 0% Japanese,0. 9% Vietnamese,0. 8% Indian, and 0. 3% Cambodian. The racial makeup of the county is 48. 7% White,11. 0% African American,0. 8% Native American,10. 0% Asian,0. 3% Pacific Islander,23. 5% from other races, and 4. 9% from two or more races. 44. 6% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race, the largest European-American ancestry groups are German, Irish, English and Italian. 45. 9% of the population reported speaking only English at home,37. 9% spoke Spanish,2. 22% Tagalog,2. 0% Chinese,1. 9% Korean,1. 87% Armenian,0. 5% Arabic, and 0. 2% Hindi. At the census of 2000, there were 9,519,338 people,3,133,774 households, the population density was 2,344 people per square mile. There were 3,270,909 housing units at a density of 806 per square mile. 25% of all households were made up of individuals and 7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.61. In the county, the population was out with 28% under the age of 18, 10% from 18 to 24, 33% from 25 to 44, 19% from 45 to 64
4.
Downtown Los Angeles
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Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, as well as a diverse residential neighborhood of some 58,000 people. A2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs, Downtown Los Angeles is known for its government buildings, parks, theaters and other public places. The earliest known settlements in the area of what is now Downtown Los Angeles was by the Tongva, on September 4,1781, the city was founded by a group of settlers who trekked north from present-day Mexico. Land speculation increased in the 1880s, which saw the population of the city explode from 11,000 in 1880 to nearly 100,000 by 1896. Infrastructure enhancements and the laying of a street grid eventually brought development south of the settlement into what is today the Civic Center. By 1920, the private and municipal rail lines were the most far-flung and most comprehensive in the world in mileage. By this time, an influx of residents and aggressive land developers had transformed the city into a large metropolitan area. Rail lines connected four counties with over 1,100 miles of track, during the early part of the 20th century, banking institutions clustered around South Spring Street, forming the Spring Street Financial District. The Los Angeles Stock Exchange was also located on the corridor from 1929 until 1986 before moving into a new building across the Harbor Freeway, Broadway became the nightlife, shopping and entertainment district of the city, with over a dozen theater and movie palaces built before 1932. Numerous specialty stores also flourished including those in the business which gave rise to the Downtown Jewelry District. Among these early jewelers included the Laykin Diamond Company and Harry Winston & Co. both of which found their beginnings in the Alexandria Hotel at 5th and Spring Streets. The Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal opened in May,1939, unifying passenger service among local, regional. It was built on a scale and would be one of the last of the Great Railway Stations built in the United States. Following World War II, suburbanization, the development of the Los Angeles freeway network, many corporate headquarters slowly dispersed to new suburbs or fell to mergers and acquisitions. The once-wealthy Bunker Hill neighborhood became a haven for low-income renters, the drastic reduction in the number of residents in the area further reduced the viability of streetfront businesses that would be able to attract pedestrians. For most Angelenos, downtown became a destination as they would come into the area for a particular objective. This period saw the clearing and upzoning of the neighborhood as well as the shuttering of the Angels Flight funicular railway in 1969. Angels Flight resumed operation in 1996 for a period of five years, on March 15,2010, the railway once again opened for passenger service following extensive upgrades to brake and safety systems
5.
Staples Center
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Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street, opening on October 17,1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles Area. It is owned and operated by the L. A. Arena Company, Staples Center is also host to over 250 events and nearly 4 million guests each year. The Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park will host both the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams beginning in 2019, Staples Center measures 950,000 square feet of total space, with a 94-foot by 200-foot arena floor. The arena seats up to 19,067 for basketball,18,340 for ice hockey, two-thirds of the arenas seating, including 2,500 club seats, are in the lower bowl. There are also 160 luxury suites, including 15 event suites, the arenas attendance record is held by the fight between World WBA Welterweight Champion, Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley with a crowd of 20,820 set on January 25,2009. Star Plaza Outside the arena at the Star Plaza are statues of Wayne Gretzky and Magic Johnson, a third statue of boxer Oscar De La Hoya was unveiled outside Staples Center on December 1,2008. On April 20,2010 a fourth statue of the long time Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn. A fifth statue of the Laker legend Jerry West dribbling was unveiled on February 17,2011, a sixth statue of Lakers player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unveiled on November 16,2012. A seventh statue of former Kings Hall of Fame left wing Luc Robitaille was unveiled on March 7,2015, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that they will honor Shaquille ONeal with a statue that was unveiled on March 24,2017. Construction broke ground in 1998 and Staples Center opened a year later and it was financed privately at a cost of US$375 million and is named for the office-supply company Staples, Inc. which was one of the centers corporate sponsors that paid for naming rights. The arena opened on October 17,1999, with a Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band concert as its inaugural event. Staples Center was named Best New Major Concert Venue for 1999, on October 21,2009, Staples Center celebrated its 10th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the official web site nominated 25 of the arenas greatest moments from its first ten years with fans voting on the top ten. The venue opened in 1999 as the home of the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA joined in 2001, while the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA D-League joined in 2006. It became home to the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League in 2000 until the teams discontinuation in 2008. Since its opening day, the Staples Center has hosted seven NBA Finals series with the Lakers, of the teams five NBA championships since moving to the venue, the Lakers have celebrated their 2000 and 2010 victories at Staples Center with series-winning victories at home. Prior to the 2006–07 NBA season, the lighting inside Staples Center was modified for Lakers games, the lights were focused only on the court itself, reminiscent of the Lakers early years at The Forum
6.
Pico-Union, Los Angeles
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Pico-Union is a densely populated, low-income, youthful,85. 4% Latino, mostly native neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California. Historic in character and undergoing a renewal program, the neighborhood is home to two schools and seven other schools, as well as a branch public library. It is the site of the long-established private Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery, Pico-Union is flanked by Koreatown and Westlake to the north and northeast, Downtown to the east, Adams-Normandie, University Park and Exposition Park to the south and Harvard Heights to the west. The neighborhood is bounded on the north and northeast by Olympic Boulevard, on the east by the 110 Freeway, on the south by the Santa Monica Freeway and it also includes the California Highway Patrol station beneath the freeway interchange northeast of Washington Boulevard. Relation of Pico-Union to other communities, The area encompassed by Pico-Union was developed as a middle, easy access to downtown Los Angeles and the nearby Wilshire District drew large numbers of affluent homeowners. Following the Second World War, the Pico-Union area, like many city neighborhoods. The loss of residents and business led to high vacancy rates, Pico-Union became the citys 19th Historic Preservation Overlay Zone on August 10,2004. It contains two historic districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places, South Bonnie Brae Tract Historic District and Alvarado Terrace Historic District. The former First Church of Christ, Scientist, once one of Jim Jones Peoples Temples, was located in Pico-Union, at the corner of Alvarado Street, Pico-Union is the fourth-most-crowded neighborhood in Los Angeles, surpassed only by East Hollywood, Westlake and Koreatown. The 2000 U. S. census counted 42,324 residents in the 1. 67-square-miles neighborhood—an average of 25,352 people per square mile, in 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 44,664. The median age for residents was 27, considered young for the city, the ethnic breakdown in 2000 was, Latinos,85. 4%, Asians,7. 6%, whites,3. 0%, blacks,2. 9%, and others,1. 1%. Other immigrants come from Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, the median household income in 2008 dollars was $26,424, considered low for both the city and the county. The percentage of households earning $20,000 or less was high, the average household size of 3.3 people was relatively high for Los Angeles. Renters occupied 90. 5% of the units, and home- or apartment owners the rest. The percentages of never-married men and never-married women were among the countys highest, the census found 2,113 families headed by single parents, the 23. 3% rate being considered high for both the city and the county. Classes are held from approximately 9,00 am -4,00 pm and this site is an independent study school where students complete work at home, online and on site. net
7.
West Adams, Los Angeles
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West Adams is a historic neighborhood in the South Los Angeles region of Los Angeles, California. The area is known for its number of historic buildings, structures and notable houses. It is a youthful, densely populated area with a percentage of African American. The neighborhood has public schools and private schools. West Adams is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles, West Adams was developed by railroad magnate Henry E. Huntington and wealthy industrialist Hulett C. It was once the wealthiest district in the city, with its Victorian mansions and sturdy Craftsman bungalows, and it housed what was once one of the nations largest black-owned insurers. West Adams transformation into an affluent black area was sped by the Supreme Courts 1948 invalidation of segregationist covenants on property ownership, singer Ray Charless business headquarters, including his RPM studio, is located at 2107 Washington Boulevard. The intersection of Washington Boulevard and Westmoreland Boulevard, at the studio, is named Ray Charles Square in his honor, population was estimated at 22,857 in 2008. The median age was 28, considered young when compared to the city as a whole, the percentages of residents aged birth to 18 were among the countys highest. Latinos made up 56. 2% of the population, with people at 37. 6%, white people 2. 4%, Asian 1. 7%. Mexico and El Salvador were the most common places of birth for the 36. 9% of the residents who were born abroad, the $38,209 median household income in 2008 dollars was considered low for the city and county. The percentage of households earning $20,000 or less was high, the average household size of 3.1 people was about average for the city. Renters occupied 62. 8% of the units, and homeowners occupied the rest. In 2000, there were 1,078 families headed by single parents, or 21. 8%, a rate that was high for the county, the percentages of never-married women and divorced women were among the countys highest. The neighborhoods street boundaries are the Santa Monica Freeway on the north, Crenshaw Boulevard on the east, Exposition and Jefferson boulevards on the south and the Culver City line on the west. Project leader Doug Smith reported that, in response by the public to advance posting of the proposed maps, historical purists would reserve the designation West Adams for the once-upper-crust district of Victorian mansions now falling in the shadow of USC. But residents farther west have appropriated the name for that area between the 10 Freeway and Baldwin Hills. To bolster their case, the areas Neighborhood Empowerment Zone bears that name, the discussion has taken on powerful emotional content in recent years as part of a larger debate over gentrification and changing demographics in that part of the city
8.
Pico Boulevard
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Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA. It is named after Pío Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California, Pico runs parallel south of Olympic Boulevard and is one of the southernmost major streets leading into Downtown Los Angeles, running north of Venice Boulevard and south of Olympic Boulevard. Numerically, it takes the place of 13th Street, major landmarks include Santa Monica College, Santa Monica High School, the Westside Pavilion mall, Fox Studios, the Hillcrest Country Club, the Staples Center, and the Los Angeles Convention Center. Pico Boulevard starts in the city of Santa Monica and enters the city of Los Angeles near the intersection with Centinela Avenue, the neighborhoods of Los Angeles through which Pico Boulevard travels are among the most culturally diverse in the city. Santa Monica State Beach, California State Park operated by the City of Santa Monica and it is two miles long, has a picnic area, shops and pier. Visitor activities include volleyball, basketball and a bicycling and running path along the beach, Casa del Mar hotel, luxury hotel at base of Pico Boulevard, Club Casa del Mar originally opened in 1926 as a beach club. The building, built in a Renaissance Revival architectural style, became a hotel, after the war, the building underwent different incarnations, becoming, among other things, a drug rehabilitation center and a Pritikin Longevity Center. In 1998, The Edward Thomas Hospitality Corporation acquired the building, RAND Corporation Headquarters, opened in November 2004, the RAND Corporation new headquarters facility was awarded the U. S. Santa Monica Civic Auditorium,1855 Main Street,3,000 seat auditorium opened in 1958 and designed in the style by Welton Becket. McCabes Guitar Shop, Located at 3101 Pico Blvd, since 1969, McCabes has also been one of the most noted forums for folk concerts. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Formerly headquartered at 3402 Pico Blvd, the Academy is famous internationally for the Grammy Awards. Pico and Sepulveda, a song by Felix Figueroa & His Orchestra, the 1947 song was frequently featured on Dr. Dementos radio show. It is about streets in Los Angeles and was composed by Eddie Maxwell, the Apple Pan, Located at 10801 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, The Apple Pan restaurant opened in 1947 and is famous for its hickory hamburgers. In the first season of Six Feet Under, Nate Fisher asks his sister Claire if she wants to go to the Apple Pan to eat together. Rancho Park Golf Course, Located along Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, in 2000 Rancho was the only golf course in the United States to have hosted the PGA, LPGA and the Senior PGA. The golf course first opened in 1921 and was built on land that was part of Rancho Rincon de los Bueyes in what was in 1921 the town of Sawtelle,12 miles west of Los Angeles. Fox Studios, 20th Century Fox or simply Fox, is one of the six major American film studios, in 1926 Fox acquired 300 acres in the open country west of Beverly Hills and built Movietone City, the best-equipped studio of its time
9.
Blue Line (Los Angeles Metro)
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Opened in 1990, it is the systems oldest and second busiest line with an estimated 28.48 million boardings per year as of October 2013. The Blue Line Fleet has 69 cars and it is operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Blue Line passes near the cities of Vernon, Huntington Park, Lynwood, the famous Watts Towers can be seen from the train near 103rd Street station. The under-construction Regional Connector would directly link this line to Union Station, the Metro Blue Line runs between downtown Los Angeles and downtown Long Beach. The line is 22.0 miles long, with 22 stations, the lines northern terminus is 7th Street/Metro Center, from which it runs south along Flower Street, sharing tracks with the Expo Line. Passengers can connect to the Metro Silver Line bus rapid transit line at 7th Street/Metro Center, the two lines diverge at Flower Street and Washington Boulevard just south of downtown Los Angeles. There are some elevated structures and stations south of downtown Los Angeles as well as a short tunneled section within downtown Los Angeles, the Blue Line connects with the Metro Green Line at Willowbrook station. Trains run between approximately 4,45 a. m. and 1,00 a. m. the following morning, on Friday and Saturday evenings, trains are extended until 2,00 a. m. of the following morning. First and last train times are as follows, To/From Long Beach Northbound First Train to 7th Street/Metro Center,4,46 a. m, last Train to 7th Street/Metro Center,12,03 a. m. Southbound First Train to Long Beach,5,00 a. m, last Train to Long Beach,1,01 a. m. Of note, some operate at later or earlier times due to the Blue Line making the turnaround in Downtown Long Beach. Trains on the Blue Line operate every six minutes during peak hours Monday through Friday and they operate every twelve minutes during the daytime weekdays and all day on the weekends after approximately 9 a. m. Night service consists of ten-minute headways, during peak hours, every other train serves only the stations between Willow and 7th Street/Metro Center to decrease the headway on that portion of the route. Willow was chosen because of its proximity to the Blue Line storage yard, in the evening rush hour, riders will see some trains destined to Willow and others to Long Beach. Consequently, those destined to Long Beach must exit at Willow Station. The Blue Line was projected to have a ridership of 5,000. Within the first months of service, daily ridership had reached 12,000, as of July 2011, Metro had estimated the Blue Line had over 90,000 average weekday boardings, and 26.26 million yearly boardings. The routes original red car streetcar service, which was operated by Pacific Electric Railway, the transit authority was then taken over by the Southern California Rapid Transit District in 1964
10.
Condominium
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A condominium, usually shortened to condo, is a type of real estate divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas jointly owned. Unlike apartments, which are leased by their tenants, condominium units are owned outright, the common areas, amenities and utilities are managed collectively by the owners through their association, such as a homeowner association. Scholars have traced the earliest known use of the form of tenure to a document from first century Babylon. The word condominium originated in Latin, the term condominium is used throughout the United States and in most Canadian provinces, where such a property is also colloquially known as a condo. Italy uses condominio, which is simply the modern Italian form of condominium, both condo and condominium are used colloquially in the Canadian Province of Quebec, where the official term is copropriété divise or co-property devise. In France, however, the term is simply copropriété, co-property, spanish-speaking nations and regions often use the term propiedad horizontal, literally meaning horizontal property but abstractly meaning that all owners of the property have equal interest. The word condominio is also used, Condominium is a Latin word formed by adding the prefix con- to the word dominium. Its meaning is therefore shared property, condominia originally referred to territories over which two or more sovereign powers shared joint dominion. This technique was used to settle border disputes when multiple claimants could not agree on how to partition the disputed territory. For example, from 1818 to 1846, Oregon was a condominium over which both the United States and Great Britain shared joint sovereignty, mainly in the context of the United States The difference between an apartment complex and condominium is purely legal. There is no way to differentiate a condominium from an apartment simply by looking at or visiting the building, what defines a condominium is the form of ownership. A building developed as a condominium could actually be built at another location as an apartment building, as a practical matter, builders tend to build condominiums to higher quality standards than apartment complexes because of the differences between the rental and sale markets. Technically, a condominium is a collection of home units. Individual home ownership within a condominium is construed as ownership of only the air space confining the boundaries of the home, the boundaries of that space are specified by a legal document known as a Declaration, filed on record with the local governing authority. Typically, these boundaries will include the surrounding a condo. Anything outside this boundary is held in an ownership interest by a corporation established at the time of the condominiums creation. The corporation holds this property in trust on behalf of the homeowners as a group—it may not have ownership itself, Condominiums have conditions, covenants, and restrictions, and often additional rules that govern how the individual unit owners are to share the space. It is also possible for a condominium to consist of single-family dwellings and these structures are preferred by some planned neighborhoods and gated communities
11.
University of Southern California
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The University of Southern California is a private research university founded in 1880 with its main campus in Los Angeles, California. As Californias oldest private university, USC has historically educated a large number of the regions business leaders. In recent decades, the university has also leveraged its location in Los Angeles to establish relationships with research and cultural institutions throughout Asia, an engine for economic activity, USC contributes $8 billion annually to the economy of the Los Angeles metropolitan area and California. For the 2014–15 academic year, there were 18,740 students enrolled in undergraduate programs. USC also has 23,729 graduate and professional students in a number of different programs, including business, law, engineering, social work, and medicine. The university is one of the top fundraising institutions in the world, consistently ranking among the top 3 in external contributions, multiple academic rankings list the University of Southern California as being among the top 25 universities in the United States. With an acceptance rate of 16 percent, USC is also among the most selective academic institutions in the nation. USC maintains a tradition of innovation and entrepreneurship, with alumni having founded companies such as Lucasfilm, Myspace, Salesforce. com, Intuit, Qualcomm, Box, Tinder. As of 2014, the university has produced the fourth largest number of billionaire alumni out of all institutions in the world. USC is home to the world’s most powerful computer, which is presently housed in a super-cooled. The only other commercially available quantum computing system is operated jointly by NASA, USC was also one of the earliest nodes on ARPANET and is the birthplace of the Domain Name System. Other technologies invented at USC include DNA computing, dynamic programming, image compression, VoIP, USC sponsors a variety of intercollegiate sports and competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Members of the teams, the Trojans, have won 102 NCAA team championships, ranking them third in the nation. Trojan athletes have won 288 medals at the Olympic games, more than any university in the United States. If USC were a country, its athletes would have received the 12th-most Olympic gold medals in history. In 1969, it joined the Association of American Universities, the University of Southern California was founded following the efforts of Judge Robert M. Hellman. The three donated 308 lots of land to establish the campus and provided the seed money for the construction of the first buildings. Originally operated in affiliation with the Methodist Church, the school mandated from the start that no student would be denied admission because of race, the university is no longer affiliated with any church, having severed formal ties in 1952
12.
Light rail
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Light rail, light rail transit or fast tram is urban public transport using rolling stock similar to a tramway, but operating at a higher capacity, and often on an exclusive right-of-way. A few light rail networks tend to have closer to rapid transit or even commuter rail. Other light rail networks are tram-like in nature and partially operate on streets, Light rail systems are found throughout the world, on all inhabited continents. They have been popular in recent years due to their lower capital costs. The term light rail was coined in 1972 by the U. S, Urban Mass Transportation Administration to describe new streetcar transformations that were taking place in Europe and the United States. In Germany the term Stadtbahn was used to describe the concept, and many in UMTA wanted to adopt the direct translation, however, UMTA finally adopted the term light rail instead. Light in this context is used in the sense of intended for light loads and fast movement, the infrastructure investment is also usually lighter than would be found for a heavy rail system. The Transportation Research Board defined light rail in 1977 as a mode of urban transportation utilizing predominantly reserved, electrically propelled rail vehicles operate singly or in trains. LRT provides a range of passenger capabilities and performance characteristics at moderate costs. Light rail is a generic international English phrase for these types of rail systems, the use of the generic term light rail avoids some serious incompatibilities between British and American English. The word trolley is used as a synonym for streetcar in the United States. A further difference arose because, while Britain abandoned all of its trams except Blackpool after World War II, when these cities upgraded to new technology, they called it light rail to differentiate it from their existing streetcars since some continued to operate both the old and new systems. Conventional rail technologies including high-speed, freight, commuter/regional, and metro/subway/elevated urban transit systems are considered heavy rail, people movers and personal rapid transit are even lighter, at least in terms of capacity. Monorail is a technology that has been more successful in specialized services than in a commuter transit role. Due to varying definitions, it is hard to distinguish between what is called light rail, and other forms of urban and commuter rail, a system described as light rail in one city may be considered to be a streetcar or tram system in another. Conversely, some lines that are called light rail are in very similar to rapid transit, in recent years. Some light rail systems, such as Sprinter, bear little similarity to urban rail, in the United States, light rail has become a catch-all term to describe a wide variety of passenger rail systems. There is a significant difference in cost between these different classes of light rail transit, tram-like systems are often less expensive than metro-like systems by a factor of two or more
United States
California
Los Angeles
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