A dress worn by Princess Diana breaks an auction record at nearly $1.15 million

 A gown worn by Princess Diana was just sold for $1,143,000. It was expected to sell for between $100,000 and $200,000, but turned out to sell for 11 times that amount. The dress, designed by Jacques Azagury, is described as having “a black velvet bodice with embroidered stars, a drop waist with a two-tier, royal blue organza skirt, a sash, bow, and of course, shoulder pads.” Princess Diana had been reported wearing the dress to two major events. The first being when she toured Italy accompanied by then-Prince Charles, and then to a dinner on behalf of the Mayor of Florence in April 1985. The next was when she wore it in 1986 to Vancouver, Canada when she watched a Symphony Orchestra performance at Orpheum Theatre. Elizabeth Holmes, an author dedicated to writing about the royal family, states that this piece isn’t considered to be one of Diana’s “better known pieces,” making the auctioned off price very shocking.

Growing up I always adored Princess Diana, and even 25 years after her passing she still continues to inspire people all around the world. As a member of the royal family, Princess Diana held a lot of power and media attention for her time. Whereas most famous figures of that time would not speak up against controversial issues, Princess Diana chose to do so. In 1987, she opened the UK’s first specialist HIV/AIDS unit at London’s Middlesex Hospital. She was a primary figure in erasing the stigma HIV/AIDS had during the height of the AIDS epidemic. A famous quote from her was “You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it.”  Not only was she an inspiration for this reason, but for many more including her beginning to auction off her clothes in 1997 for charity. Without Princess Diana’s kindness in terms of beginning the process of auctioning her clothing, who knows whether the world would be able to appreciate her wardrobe to this day.

Published by Marisa Potts, December 19th, 2023

Originally written, 2:40 PM ET, December 19th, 2023, by Diba Mohtasham

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/19/1220357313/princess-diana-dress-breaks-auction-record 

Ride passengers rescued after dangling upside down, 75 feet up, for half an hour

 In late September, 2023 passengers of a Canada’s Wonderland theme park ride were suspended upside down for approximately 30 minutes. It's unclear how many people were on the ride, which contains enough seats for 48 people. The ride came to a sudden halt at 10:40pm and the passengers were rescued and brought back down to the ground at 11:05pm. It was reported that 2 of the passengers were treated for chest pains before they were permitted to leave. The event was recorded by multiple witnesses and posted on multiple social media platforms, resulting in major attention being brought to the issue through TikTok.

This incident was initially brought to my attention via social media, and it scared yet intrigued me at the same time. The reason for this is due to my immense fear of rollercoasters, and I have this fear because of situations like this. Personally, I have very little faith that huge metal pieces of equiptment can spin, twist, turn, and fly upside down with no possibility of malfunction potentially leading to the death of someone. All of my friends thought I was crazy for thinking this because “experts built the rides” and “those things don't happen” but this case is a prime example of my fear being a possibility.

Published by Marisa Potts, December 1st, 2023

Originally written, 9;08 AM ET, September 25th, 2023, by Emily Olson

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/25/1201476062/wonderland-lumberjack-ride-stuck-canada

Rapper Young Thug’s trial on racketeering conspiracy and gang charges begins in Atlanta

 Young Thug is currently on trial facing charges related to gang activity, drug, and gun crimes. The prosecution presents him as the ruthless leader of a violent street gang, Young Slime Life (YSL), accused of crimes such as murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and theft. The prosecution argues that Young Thug utilized his musical talent, social media presence, and clout to promote and strengthen the gang's dominance in Atlanta neighborhoods. Defense attorney Brian Steel counters, acknowledging the explicit content in the rapper's songs but argues they reflect his challenging upbringing rather than a personal criminal history. Steel emphasizes Young Thug's success in the music industry, with a lucrative record label (YSL) and collaborations with high-profile artists, contending that he is too busy and prosperous to lead a gang. The defense challenges the prosecution's use of rap lyrics as evidence and questions the credibility of jailhouse informants relied upon by the police during the trial.

Young Thug is a prominent figure in the music industry, and the intersection of his celebrity status with legal matters adds a layer of curiosity. The nature of the charges and the potential drama unfolding in the courtroom could provide a glimpse into a side of his life that's not often publicized. As a fan or follower, understanding how legal proceedings impact his career and personal life becomes a point of interest. Additionally, the media's coverage, public reactions, and any unexpected twists in the trial can contribute to the overall fascination. However, it's crucial to approach such matters with a sense of respect, recognizing the gravity of legal issues while acknowledging the public's natural curiosity about the lives of well-known personalities.

 

 

Published by Marisa Potts, November 28th, 2023

Originally written 1:39 PM PST, November 28th, 2023 by Kate Brumback

https://apnews.com/article/young-thug-ysl-rico-trial-atlanta-01d33fe0e43c2d2b6fbb6ed5184401

She died in a hotel's walk-in freezer. Her family will receive more than $6 million

 In 2017, Kenneka Jenkins was found dead in a kitchen freezer at a Crowne Plaza hotel outside of Chicago. The family filed a lawsuit on behalf of Kenneka’s death, and has now reached a settlement reportedly worth $6 million USD. In September of 2017, Kenneka attended a late-night party in the hotel located on the ninth floor. She was reported missing after she never came home that night, and after a day of her disappearance, Kenneka was discovered in the commercial freezer in the hotel. Surveillance video of Kenneka Jenkins walking around the hotel moments before her death circulated the internet and even though her cause of death was hypothermia, conspiracy theorists shared their beliefs on how Kenneka passed. Some believed that her death involved foul play, and insisted authorities were covering something up involving the case. 

As discussed previously in my other blogs, I am very fascinated with unusual cases like these. I remember hearing of this case through social media a couple years ago, and seeing the many conspiracies that were posted as well. The reason for these conspiracies was not just because of the unanswered questions surrounding this case, such as why she ended up in the freezer and didn’t leave it. There was speculation because when Kenneka Jenkins was found she had some of her clothes partially removed and a shoe missing. These pieces of evidence would suggest foul play, however the investigation did not point to that and it was labeled as an accident. My theory is that Kenneka’s alcohol intake was the reasoning behind her death. She most likely walked into the freezer because she was intoxicated, but then some argue that doesn’t explain why she was partially undressed. However, scientists that study hypothermia have uncovered a sensation known as paradoxical undressing. Paradoxical undressing is where people freezing to death often remove their clothes, which would explain why Kenneka’s shirt was partially taken off when her body was discovered. 

Published by Marisa Potts, December 13th, 2023

Originally written, 1:35 PM ET, December 13th, 2023, by Bill Chappell

Kenneka Jenkins family gets $6 million settlement over death in hotel freezer : NPR

Appeals court upholds actor Jussie Smollett's convictions and jail sentence

     Jessie Smollett, a famous actor, was accused, and found guilty of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself in 2019. He reported to Chicago police an accident where he claimed he was attacked by two men in black ski masks, and reported during the attack they were yelling racist and homophobic slurs at him. After an investigation conducted due to the police report, authorities said Jessie Smollett in fact paid the two men whom he knew from working on “Empire.” In 2021, Smollett was convicted of five counts of disorderly conduct, which is the charge someone received when lying to police. His sentence was 150 days, approximately 5 months in jail for his actions. However, he appealed the court's conviction and only spent six days in jail while the appeal was pending. Smollett’s lawyers argued he had already resolved the case through community service in 2019, and prosecutors agreed to avoid further charges in exchange for his actions. Appellate Justice Freddrenna Lyle disagreed, deeming the case unfair.

I was initially informed of this case when it first came out that Jessie Smollett supposedly planned and faked a hate crime against himself. I found this case interesting not only because I was and still am fascinated with the legal system, but also because I had never heard of a case like this. The fact Jessie Smollett was so desperate to gain publicity and attention off of a fake hate crime case was very shocking to me. Hate crimes are a very serious and real issue that people unfortunately deal with on a day to day, and faking that as a publicity stunt is disgusting to me. As a member of a minority and the LGBTQ+ community, I would assume Jessie would understand those issues are nothing anyone should be faking, because he completely degrades the severity of those issues. However, Jessie Smollet’s run in with the law has given him more publicity than ever before, and as some would say “all publicity is good publicity.”

Published by Marisa Potts, December 1st, 2023

Originally written, 3:06 PM ET, December 1st, 2023, by The Associated Press

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/01/1216580590/jussie-smollett-empire-appeal-convictions-jail-sentence

Coast Guard arrests a man trying to run a giant hamster wheel across the Atlantic

 Mr. Baluchi is a 44-year-old marathon runner, who crafted a makeshift “hamster wheel” of sorts. Sources say that Mr. Baluchi took his contraption into the Atlantic as officials were preparing for a large hurricane in the area. The US Coast Guard determined however his craft was unsafe and he was conducting a manifestly unsafe voyage. The “hamster wheel” was shaped as a wheel and included paddles that were supposed to propel the craft forward as the wheel would spin. When he was ordered to step off the vessel he refused and told authorities a multitude of things, such as threatening to harm himself and claiming he had a bomb aboard. This was also not Mr. Baluchi’s first time running into trouble with the Coast Guard, in 2021 he was arrested after being retrieved trying to go from Florida to New York in the “bubble.” As well as, being in a similar situation in 2014 involving being rescued from St Augustine and again in 2016 near Palm Beach in Florida. His explanation for the attempted voyages was that he wanted to raise money for many different causes, such as homelessness, police, fire department, and even the Coast Guard themselves.

I find this article interesting because of how persistent the man was during his attempt to take the vessel out into different parts of the ocean. I am also intrigued because I am curious to know how the man expected to raise money off of this. The article didn’t mention how Mr. Baluchi intended to collect the donations in this case, and I am curious to know. However, even with the lack of planning, I do respect the man's dedication to achieving his goal. Even though he was raising money for homelessness, police, the fire department, and the Coast Guard, it could have been done in a way that didn’t involve breaking the law in the process. I also find this situation pretty ironic because the man’s so-called “purpose” for doing this is to raise money partially for law enforcement, yet the man is simultaneously wasting police and coast guard resources by making them have to deal with him using the “hamster wheel.”

Published by Marisa Potts, December 1st, 2023

Originally written, 3:52 PM ET, September 7th, 2023, by Laurel Wamsley

Florida man arrested after trying to cross Atlantic in hamster wheel vessel (bbc.com)

Wally the emotional support alligator went to see the Phillies. Then he went viral

 Joie Henney of Strinestown keeps a 4-foot-6-inch alligator named Wally, a proclaimed emotional support animal. Joie brings Wally to schools and senior centers to entertain and comfort children and the elderly. Wally was rescued from Florida in September 2016 by one of Joie’s friends, who eventually passed on the possession of Wally to Joie. Initially, Joie was relatively scared to get too close to Wally, he told the York Daily Record he fed Wally with tongs in the beginning. However, within a month the gator was gentle and happy with his new owner. This led to him taking Wally to schools and senior homes to educate people. Wally’s presence was soon appreciated significantly by children with developmental issues, resulting in Joie seeking “emotional support status” for Wally.

This article caught my eye due to the rarity of this situation, and I have an interest in animals. The idea that such a notoriously recognized violent animal could be used to comfort people of all ages is very fascinating to me. Personally, I am very jealous of those who have gotten the opportunity to meet Wally the emotional support alligator, and would love to eventually have that opportunity. However, I am very concerned about the violent tendencies Wally still might have in his genetics, because he is an alligator after all. I am under the impression that Wally is domesticated, but I can’t help but think of the possibility that Wally might turn violent one day resulting in a serious life-threatening injury. I have this belief due to the Charla Nash case, where Charla was attacked by her friend's pet chimpanzee resulting in the loss of her hands and face. This example is certainly not a common occurrence by any means, but it does show that even domesticated animals can be a possible danger at any moment.

Published by Marisa Potts, December 1st, 2023

Originally written, 11:01 AM ET on September 29th, 2023, by Rachel Treisman

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/29/1202615294/wally-emotional-support-alligator-phillies-game

A 104-year-old woman dies before Guinness can confirm her record as oldest skydiver

Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old woman, passed away a little over a week after potentially breaking the world record for the oldest skydiver. She jumped 13,500 feet with Skydive Chicago in Ottawa. On Oct. 1st at Brookdale Senior Living, where she resided, Dorthy reportedly passed in her sleep on Monday. The Brookdale Senior Living expressed deep sadness, highlighting her passion and eccentric personality, as demonstrated by her recent skydiving adventure. Guinness World Records is still verifying if Hoffner officially broke the record, currently held by Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson of Sweden, who jumped at the age of 103 in 2022. 

This article portrays a very positive message to those who choose to read it. Dorthy proved that no matter what age, you can accomplish anything you want. Even with old age it is possible to make your dreams and aspirations come to life. A goal she had been working towards accomplishing for quite some time eventually became her reality. However, unfortunately she was not around much longer after the event in order to find out whether she actually broke the Guinness World Records. She still left a huge impact on the older community by being a prime example of “never give up.” She was described as having “amazing energy” by one of the nurses, and this shines through in the photo of her smiling before she skydived. I also believe that no matter what conclusion Guinness World Records comes to, Dorthy would be happy with either result and just be happy she got to experience such a once in a lifetime experience.

Published by Marisa Potts, December 1st, 2023

Originally written, 7:15PM ET on October 11th, 2023, by Ayana Archie

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/11/1205280562/104-woman-dies-skydiving-record