A city is a large and permanent human settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town in general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.
Cities generally have complex systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, housing, and transportation. The concentration of development greatly facilitates interaction between people and businesses, benefiting both parties in the process, but it also presents challenges to managing urban growth.
A big city or metropolis usually has associated suburbs and exurbs. Such cities are usually associated with metropolitan areas and urban areas, creating numerous business commuters traveling to urban centers for employment. Once a city expands far enough to reach another city, this region can be deemed a conurbation or megalopolis. 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.
There are 281 municipalities in the U.S. state of Washington. State law determines the various powers its municipalities have.
Legally, a city in Washington can be described primarily by its class. There are five classes of cities in Washington:
First class cities are cities with a population over 10,000 at the time of reorganization and operating under a home rule charter. They are permitted to perform any function specifically granted them by Title 35 RCW (Revised Code of Washington). Among them are Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Vancouver, and Yakima.
Second class cities are cities with a population over 1,500 at the time of reorganization and operating without a home rule charter. Like first class cities, they are permitted to perform any function specifically granted them by Title 35 RCW. Among them are Port Orchard, Wapato, and Colville.
Towns are municipalities with a population of under 1,500 at the time of reorganization. Towns are not authorized to operate under a charter. Like the previously listed cities, they are permitted to perform any function specifically granted them by Title 35 RCW. Among them are Steilacoom, Friday Harbor, Eatonville, and Waterville. In 1994, the legislature made 1,500 the minimum population required to incorporate.
Texas has a total of 254 counties, many cities, and numerous special districts, the most common of which is the independent school district.
Texas has a total of 254 counties, by far the largest number of counties of any state.
Each county is run by a five-member Commissioners' Court consisting of four commissioners elected from single-member districts (called commissioner precincts) and a county judge elected at-large. The county judge does not have authority to veto a decision of the commissioners court; the judge votes along with the commissioners (being the tie-breaker in close calls). In smaller counties, the county judge actually does perform judicial duties, but in larger counties the judge's role is limited to serving on the commissioners court and certifying elections. Certain officials, such as the sheriff and tax collector, are elected separately by the voters, but the commissioners court determines their office budgets, and sets overall county policy. All county elections are partisan, and commissioner precincts are redistricted after each ten year Census both to equalize the voting power in each and in consideration of the political party preferences of the voters in each.
Burn is the third studio album by industrial rock band Sister Machine Gun.
Burn has two hidden tracks on the CD release. The first is a cover of The Doors, "Strange Days" which is found by rewinding the CD to -4:20 on a CD player (this may not work on software media players). The second is a reprise of the song "Inside" found at 8:43 on the final track.
Burn is the first full-length album recorded by the thrash metal band, Havok. It was released in 2009 on Candlelight Records.
Drum, bass and guitar recording started in mid-2008 in the basement of singer/guitarist David Sanchez's mother's house, in Lakewood, CO. It took roughly 6 months. Vocals were recorded later at Motaland Studios in Denver with engineer Bart McCrorey, who also mixed the album. The band did not work with a producer due to a limited budget of roughly $2,500.
Halsey Swain provided the artwork after an earlier version of the same concept by another artist was rejected.
The album consists of 5 tracks that had been previously released on various EPs or demos and 7 tracks that were original to the album. Bassist Justin Cantrell contributed "Morbid Symmetry" to the songwriting process, but left the band before recording began. This track was designated the "single" for the album, though no actual single was ever released. Jessie De Los Santos replaced him. Drummer Ryan Bloom left the band shortly before the album's release date and was not permanently replaced until 2010. His credit on the album reads, "drum tracks by Ryan Bloom," and he was the lyricist for "Ivory Tower."
"Burn" is a science fiction novella published in 2005 by James Patrick Kelly. It won the 2007 Nebula Award for Best Novella.
The story follows Prosper Gregory Leung, a farmer who has been recruited to help fight forest fires on his home planet of Walden. After being injured in the line of duty, he is sent to recover in a hospital where he ends up contacting the High Gregory, a young ruler on the planet Kenning. In the course of talking with the High Gregory, Spur unknowingly brings the young "luck maker" and several other young diplomats to Walden.