- published: 19 Aug 2012
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London i/ˈlʌndən/ is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's leading financial centre alongside New York City and has the fifth-largest city GDP in the world (and the largest in Europe). London has been described as a world cultural capital. It was the world's most visited city during 2011 and London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.
Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie,DBE (born 19 July 1965) is a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She was the first full-time solo percussionist in 20th-century western society.
Glennie was born and raised in Aberdeenshire. Her father was Herbert Arthur Glennie, an accordionist in a Scottish country dance band, and the strong, indigenous musical traditions of north-east Scotland were important in the development of the young musician, whose first instruments were the mouth organ and the clarinet. Other major influences were Glenn Gould, Jacqueline du Pré and Trilok Gurtu. She studied at Ellon Academy and the Royal Academy of Music, and was also a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland.
Glennie tours extensively in the northern hemisphere, spending up to four months each year in the United States, and performs with a wide variety of orchestras and contemporary musicians, giving over 100 concerts a year as well as master classes and "music in schools" performances;she frequently commissions percussion works from composers and performs them in her concert repertoire.
McKayla Rose Maroney (born December 9, 1995) is an elite artistic gymnast from the U.S.A. who is best known for her execution of the Amanar vault (SV 6.5) – a Yurchenko-entry vault followed by two and a half twists in the air during a laid-out back salto. She is the 2011 U.S. champion on the vault, having bested 2010 World Championships vault winner Alicia Sacramone at the 2011 U.S. National Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is a 2011 World Champion with the U.S. team and the 2011 World Champion on vault.
Competing at her first Nationals, Maroney placed third on vault at the 2009 U.S. Junior National Championships in Dallas, Texas in August.
At July’s 2010 CoverGirl Classic in Chicago, Illinois, Maroney tied for second on vault with gymnast Lexie Priessman. Maroney also placed fifth on floor exercise and seventh all-around.
Maroney won the vault title at the 2010 U.S. Junior National Championships in Hartford, Connecticut during August 2010. She also placed third all-around, tied for fourth on floor exercise and placed seventh on balance beam.