Top 10 Stories Of 2014

It’s hard to believe, but 2014 is coming to a close.  What a year it was.  Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts came out as a lesbian and football player Michael Sam (almost) became the NFL’s first openly gay player.  David Letterman announced his impending retirement and Stephen Colbert stepped down as host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” to become Dave’s replacement in 2015 on CBS. A hack by North Korea forced Sony Pictures to (temporarily) cancel “The Interview” and President Obama announced plans to normalize relations with Cuba.  What a year!

As is our tradition, here is the OK WASSUP! list of the Top 10 Stories of 2014.  Enjoy!

10.)  ISIS Terror Group Rises –
Terror group ISIS or ISIL or The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant started as a splinter group of al Qaeda, but quickly surpassed them in the “terror” department.  Known for killing dozens of people at a time via public executions, crucifixions and other acts, the group spent 2014 taking over large portions of an unstable northern and western Iraq.  ISIS is so bad that even al Qaeda distanced itself from the spin-off group, saying some of their acts went too far.

9.)   Malaysian Jet Vanishes –

In one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 vanished into thin air on March 7th somewhere in route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Carrying 239 passengers, the mystery flight made its last voice contact with air traffic control less than an hour after takeoff, then disappeared from air traffic controllers’ radar screens soon thereafter. Officials are unclear if the flight secretly landed somewhere as a terror mission, or if it crashed somewhere over the ocean. Despite countless search missions by sea, the plane was never found and may never be found.

Sadly, only a few days ago Singapore-bound AirAsia Flight 8501, with 162 people on board, lost contact with traffic control in Jakarta, Indonesia and is also now missing.  Is this a strange coincidence or a clear sign of something sinister?

8.)  LeBron To Cleveland –
In 2010, NBA star LeBron James announced that he would be “taking his talents to South Beach” by bolting his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.  On July 11, 2014 and after 2 championships, LeBron shocked the sports world by announcing that his “affair” with Miami was over and that he would be returning home to play once again for Cleveland.  After becoming a hated piranha for the 4 years he spent in Miami, the City of Cleveland welcomed back their prodigal son with open arms.

7.)   Ice Bucket Challenge –
First, there was the Facebook Fire Challenge, where insane teens filmed themselves lighting their bodies on fire as a dare, then posting the embarrassing footage on the social media site. After numerous 3rd degree burns, this fire challenge burned out and made way for the Ice Bucket Challenge, which became an instant sensation.  Started by Bostonians Pete Frates and Pat Quinn, Facebook’ers filmed themselves dumping a bucket of ice cold water on their heads, then individually challenging their friends to either do the same within 24 hours or else send a donation to the ALS Foundation for Lou Gehrig’s disease. Although Facebook logged tens of thousands of Ice Bucket Challenge videos posted, the ALS foundation raised $100 million dollars for the summer ice fun.

6.)   Ebola Virus –
In March of this year, the deadly Ebola virus reared its head in West Africa.  Disinterested Americans initially ignored the disease since it seemed a continent away, but when Thomas Eric Duncan traveled from Liberia to Dallas, TX on September 19th, that all changed.  By October, Duncan was dead.  Soon after, Nina Pham and Amber Joy Vinson, both nurses who treated Duncan were diagnosed with the disease.  Next, New York City physician Craig Spencer, who had just returned from working with Doctors Without Borders in Guinea was diagnosed.  Dr. Spencer nearly created an epidemic scare by traveling on the New York City subway system and going bowling in Brooklyn following his return. Dr. Spencer and nurses Pham and Vinson all survived and news of the virus became quiet.  Then last week, the CDC reported that a lab worker may have been exposed to the deadly virus.  No word yet on the identity of the worker or if the exposure to the virus was positive.

5.)  Passages –  
We lost several bright stars in 2014, including renowned poet Maya Angelou; former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon; Trapp Family matriarch Maria von Trapp; former vice-presidential wife Joan Mondale; designer Oscar de la Renta; sports figures Ruben “Hurricane” Carter (boxer), Dr. Jack Ramsey (NBA), Tony Gwynn (baseball); famed announcers Casey Kasem and Don Pardo; journalist Garrick Utley; famed music DJ Frankie Knuckles; comedian David Brenner; singers Pete Seeger, Joe Cocker and Phil Everly; R+B soul singer Bobby Womack; actors Bob Hoskins, Ann B. Davis (“Alice” of The Brady Bunch), Mickey Rooney, Harvey Korman (The Carol Burnett Show), James Rebhorn, Sheila MacRae (“Alice Kramden” of The Honeymooners), Harold Ramis, Sid Caesar, Shirley Temple Black, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Maximilian Schell, Russell Johnson (“The Professor” of Gilligan’s Island), Jan Hooks (Saturday Night Live),  Lauren Bacall, Robin Williams, James Garner, James Avery (“Uncle Phil” of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air), Meshack Taylor (“Anthony” of Designing Women), Eli Wallach, Ruby Dee and Joan Rivers.  May they all rest in peace.

4.)   LA Clippers/Donald Sterling Saga –
On April 28th of this year, the NBA slapped LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling with a lifetime ban, after audio surfaced of the aged owner making racist comments to his mixed-race girlfriend.  Soon after, a comedy of errors ensued, culminating with Sterling giving a laughable interview to CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he believed would salvage his image.  Sadly for him, the interview only made matters worse. The married Sterling agreed to sell the team, then changed his mind, then threatened to sue the NBA, then changed his mind again. In the end, the Los Angeles based NBA franchise was sold to Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer for an unprecedented $2 billion dollars. The forced sale of the Clippers was meant to be a punishment for Sterling, however his recorded racist rant left him laughing all the way to the bank.

3.)   Bill Cosby Sex Scandal –
Exactly 30 years ago this fall, “The Cosby Show” debuted on NBC, catapulting Bill Cosby into the respected role of “America’s dad.”  Who knew then that 30 years later, “America’s dad” would be called a serial rapist and sexual predator.  First 1 woman came forward.  Then another… and another…until there were too many to count.  From various up-and-coming actresses to famed African-American model Beverly Johnson, each of the women claimed that during the best years of his career, Cosby drugged then raped them.  To date, Bill Cosby himself has remained mysteriously silent on the damning charges against him.  His wife Camille did speak out against those who claimed to be a sexual victim of her husband, although her words were quickly dismissed as a scripted PR stunt and a failed attempt to salvage the little respect Bill Cosby may have left.

2.)   Ferguson, MO –
On August 9, 2014 police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed unarmed 19-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking a racial divide between police and the community, as well as months long protests. Protesters marched in the streets both day and night calling for Wilson to be charged with murder.  When a grand jury decided not to indict Wilson, the #HandsUpDon’tShoot movement was born and took root across the country.  Amid death threats to himself and his family, Officer Darren Wilson resigned from the Ferguson police force, although he reportedly collected $500,000 in online donations and earned an additional $500,000 from an exclusive ABC interview, making the killer cop an instant millionaire.

And the NUMBER ONE story of 2014 is:

1.)   Eric Garner Nationwide Protests –
On July 17, 2014, NY police officer Daniel Pantaleo put Eric Garner into a chokehold after suspecting him of selling loose cigarettes on the streets of Staten Island.  The overweight and asthmatic Garner fell to the ground and was filmed yelling over and over “I can’t breathe” before passing out.  He later died.  On December 4th, a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Panteleo for the death, which birthed an immediate series of peaceful protests across New York City and the world.  Blacks, whites, young, old, rich, poor all joined in solidarity against the killings of Garner and Michael Brown, promoting the message that Black lives matter.  New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, Oakland, Atlanta and Washington, DC were all just a few of the cities in America that staged days of protests and die-ins by millions of Americans.  The movement even grew across the Atlantic, with protests in London, England over what appeared to be open season on black males in America.

On Saturday, December 20th, Ismaaiyl Brinsley shot and killed 2 NYPD officers ambush style while they were sitting in a patrol car in Brooklyn, before killing himself.  Although Brinsley was mentally deranged and had shot his girlfriend in the stomach only hours earlier in Washington, DC, police officers and conservative media pundits blamed the cop killing on the weeks of nationwide protests for Eric Garner. NYPD and police across the country went on high alert after receiving threats against their safety. The head of the NYPD police union declared a state of war and blamed NY Mayor Bill De Blasio and President Obama for raising tensions among the Eric Garner protesters. Mayor De Blasio requested a few days of silence and non-protests while the 2 murdered police officers were mourned and buried, however as of this writing, the protests in NYC and across the country have continued and do not appear to be at all close to ending.

What do you think was the Top Story of 2014?

OTHER NOTABLE STORES OF 2014:

NY Yankees star Derek Jeter retires

NFL’S Ray Rice knocks his wife out cold in an elevator

NYC autistic boy found dead after unprecedented months-long citywide search

Secret Service security lapse/White House jumper

GOP wins House and Senate