TOP 10 STORIES OF 2011

The year 2011 has come and (almost) gone… Oh where did all the time go?  But the year provided a number of stories that will forever remain in the history books.

There were a ton of huge stories in 2011.  Some that demand honorable mention include:

– Dominic Strauss Khan/hotel maid alleged rape case
– Arnold Schwarzenegger fathers child with maid; Maria Shriver files for divorce
– Bishop Eddie Long reaches secret settlement; wife files for divorce
– Celebrity Divorces: Vanessa and Kobe Bryant; Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher
– Online sexting prompts resignation of NY Congressman Anthony Weiner
– Casey Anthony surprise acquittal in death of daughter Kaylee
– Dr. Conrad Murray found guilty in Michael Jackson death
– Charlie Sheen meltdown;  says he’s “WINNING”
– “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” officially ends; gay soldiers finally allowed to serve openly

However, these were not the TOP stories.  So as we prepare to bid adieu to this year and in our usual OK WASSUP! tradition, here now are the TOP 10 stories of 2011:

10.)  PASSAGES:
The world saw the passing of several noted celebrities and personalities.  Among the names we lost in 2011 are actress Elizabeth Taylor, Academy Awards producer Gil Cates, famed recording artist Amy Winehouse, boxing great Joe Frazier, former Clinton administration Secretary of State Warren Christopher, former First Lady Betty Ford, and the first female vice-presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro.

9.) GABRIELLE GIFFORDS SHOOTING:

In January, Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot while greeting constituents outside a grocery store in her Arizona district.  The assassination attempt by crazed gunman Jared Lee Loughner did not kill the congresswoman, but did take the lives of several bystanders, including a local judge, a congressional staffer and a little girl who was in attendance because she hoped to grow up to become a politician.

8.)  IRAQ WAR OFFICIALLY ENDS:
On Sunday, December 18th, the last convoy of troops rolled across the border from Iraq to Kuwait, officially ending the nearly 9 year Iraqi war.  American soldiers, some of whom had been deployed on multiple tours of duty, flew home to the United States and enjoyed Christmas with their families and loved ones for the first time in years.  President Obama vowed to end the Iraqi conflict during his run for the presidency in 2008 and in 2011 he kept that promise!

7.)  A ROYAL WEDDING:
It was deemed the wedding of the century as heir to the British throne Prince William married his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton.  The ceremony was high on pomp and circumstance, just as it was nearly 30 years ago when Wil’s parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married. But one sharp difference between Prince William’s celebration and that of his parents, came during the wedding reception. Best Man Prince Harry transformed Buckingham Palace from a place of etiquette and decorum into a hip-hop haven, and threw his brother and new sister-in-law a wedding reception with performances by Snoop Dogg and other rap royalty.

6.)  OPRAH RETIRES:
The queen of talk Oprah Winfrey officially retired from daytime T.V., after nearly 30 years as the most dominate face on television.  Winfrey left her talk fest to concentrate on establishing her own network, known as OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network).  The network has struggled all year with uninteresting programming that has failed to ignite the interest of viewers, prompting Oprah to plan a return to television in 2012 with the hopes of salvaging her network.

5.)  JAPAN TSUNAMI:
On March 11, 2011, a deadly 8.9 earthquake struck Japan, causing a massive 23-foot tsunami to hit the coast, killing hundreds, leveling homes, and sweeping away cars and boats. 200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai.  Bodies and debris were swept into the Pacific ocean, which experts say is making its way toward the California coastline and could end up strewn along the prime beaches of Malibu.

4.)  OCCUPY WALL STREET:

Taking a page from protesters around the world who were successful in ousting Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and others, protesters took to the streets of New York in a movement targeting Wall St. banks and their roll in the devastating economy. New Yorkers gathered by the hundreds and camped out in parks and on streets to protest the billions of dollars banks received in a government bail out, that still has yet to positively affect the economy or help middle America. The movement began in the summer of 2011 and has since grown beyond New York to dozens of cities across the country.

3.)  DEATH OF STEVE JOBS:
His name became synonymous with noted inventors Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell and others throughout time.  His invention of the iPod and the iPhone completely revolutionized technology and the way we consume music or communicate while mobile.  On October 5, 2011, Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs lost his battle with liver cancer.  Apple fans throughout the world continue to pay homage to Jobs, who has been called a modern day genius.

2.)  10th ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11:
On September 11, 2001, the world changed when Osama Bin Laden and his al-Qaida network slammed airplanes into the World Trade Center and brought the twin towers crashing down.  September 11, 2011 was the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, which was marked by a solemn commemoration attended by President and Mrs. Obama, former President and Mrs. Bush, and of course the surviving families and loved ones of the 9/11 victims.  A 9/11 memorial was dedicated, which includes a cascading eternal fountain bordered by the names of each of the victims etched in marble.

1.)  OSAMA BIN LADEN CAPTURED AND KILLED:
Late Sunday night, May 1, 2011, President Obama took to the airwaves to make an announcement the world had been waiting a decade to hear — Osama Bin Laden had been captured and killed!  Hoards of U.S. citizens took to the streets of Times Square and Washington D.C. to celebrate the news that the world’s most wanted man was no more.  It was clearly the top story of 2011.