Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 151
April 9, 2021
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Ripley’s Acquires the World’s Longest Nails—Finally Cut After 30 Years!
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ayanna Williams of Houston, Texas, has spent about 30 years growing her record-breaking talons, officially dubbed the longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) by Guinness World Records.
Looking forward to picking up the pace and moving on to the next chapter of her life, Ayanna made the difficult decision to part with her iconic nails. But she couldn’t simply clip “her babies,” as she lovingly refers to them—they deserve a place in history!
Previously featured in both Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Guinness World Records publications, the two brands teamed up to immortalize these curious claws, purchasing them for an undisclosed amount.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! accompanied Ayanna to Fort Worth, Texas, where her nails were cut off by Dr. Readinger at Trinity Vista Dermatology.
When Guinness World Records measured Ayanna’s nails back in 2017, they reached a combined total length of 576.4 cm (18 ft 10.9 in). Believe It or Not!, this time they measured 733.55 cm—more than 24 feet of fingernails all together!
After the seamless procedure, Ayanna leapt from her chair and immediately began doing tasks she had been unable to do for decades—texting with ease, quickly hopping into a car, and opening doors without the fear of breaking a beloved extremity… which happens.
Believe It or Not!, in 2014, when Ayanna was promoting Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Reality Shock, she broke a 23-inch-long nail during an interview!
Ayanna insists that she will not grow her nails to record-breaking lengths again; however, she says about six inches sounds right. When reminded that it took her up to 20 hours and two bottles of nail polish to paint her tremendous talons, she said she might consider going shorter.
Ripley’s is no stranger to super-long nails! In 2018, the 909.6 cm (29 ft 10.1 in) nails of Shridhar Chillal, the longest fingernails ever recorded on a single hand, were acquired. Chillal’s nails can be seen on display at both Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! New York.
Now, it’s Ayanna’s incredible efforts that can inspire generations to come! Beginning on Friday, April 9, 2021, you can see Ayanna’s nails in person at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando.
Her goal is to encourage the next history-making nail enthusiast to grow their nails to record-setting lengths and to go for a Guinness World Records title.
“Do what you want to do! Let everyone be themselves. If you want to grow your nails long, do it!” adds Ayanna.
Image copyright remains Guinness World Records/Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Images not for resale, library, or archive. Please contact social@ripleys.com for permissions.
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Ripley’s Acquires the World’s Longest Nails—Finally Cut After 30 Years!
The Strangest Final Resting Places Of Celebrities
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
When it comes to the final resting places of celebrities, weird fan traditions and paranormal activity are just the beginning. Some stars, like Marilyn Monroe, continue to attract other celebrities to join them in the afterlife. Others, like Jim Morrison, bring out the worst in their “fans”—grave desecration, graffiti, and satanic rituals. Then, there are the persistent rumors that the “King of Rock” isn’t dead at all, which have led to many flesh-and-blood Elvis sightings.
Of course, nobody knows these stories better than the employees who care for famous people after their deaths, celebrity crypt keepers. Keep reading for true tales from the crypt, featuring the strange, improbable happenings at cemeteries where stars lie.
Marilyn Monroe, Westwood Memorial Park, Los AngelesOn August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe died from an apparent suicide by drug overdose. Three days later, her body was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Cemetery in a modest crypt in the Corridor of Memories. Her ex-husband, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, handled her funeral arrangements.
He chose Westwood because it was the final resting place of Monroe’s surrogate mother, Ana Lower, and her childhood guardian, Grace Goddard. He also appreciated the fact that Westwood was not a celebrity cemetery. DiMaggio restricted her funeral service to a small handful of the star’s most beloved associates and friends. And he had red roses delivered to her grave three times per week for the next 20 years.
Of course, a lot has changed since the actress and model’s funeral. Her final resting place has attracted many fellow celebrities over the years, including Dean Martin, Rodney Dangerfield, Jack Lemon, and Frank Zappa. In 1992, Hugh Heffner bought the tomb next to Marilyn’s, determined to pass eternity with Playboy’s first Playmate. Richard Poncher, who owned the crypt above Marilyn, was even buried face down so that he could stare at her in the afterlife. His widow has since removed his remains and auctioned off the crypt.
According to cemetery staff, Westwood Memorial Park is not a tourist attraction. As a result, they don’t pass out maps of headstone locations. And when the families of Hollywood stars come to pay their respects, staff don’t hesitate to turn away tourists who might disrupt these private visits.
Nonetheless, Marilyn’s crypt is easy to distinguish. It’s covered in red lipstick prints left by diehard fans as well as gifts of flowers and stuffed animals. Over the years, many visitors have reported seeing a pink mist while at her grave. Some believe this mist is the spirit of the beloved blonde. Of course, people spot her ghost in a variety of other locations throughout Los Angeles, too. These include the Brentwood bungalow, where she passed away, and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, one of her favorite “haunts” in life. Because of the many sightings, she’s even earned the posthumous title, “the hardest working ghost in Hollywood.”
Jim Morrison, Père Lachaise, ParisPère Lachaise Cemetery in Paris represents a necropolis par excellence, encompassing 98 acres and 70,000 burial plots. Of course, this particular “city” houses some of the most famous figures in Western history. These include Oscar Wilde, Honoré de Balzac, Frédéric Chopin, Colette, and Edith Piaf.
Remember Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris? If the folks in this cemetery came back to life, they’d throw a party to rival anything Owen Wilson saw. Of course, there’s one resident that continues to cause trouble—Doors frontman, Jim Morrison.
Despite his abrupt death on July 3, 1971, Jim still attracts an endless multitude of hippies, nomads, and anarchists. You can recognize them by the six-packs of beer under their arms, joints, and disheveled appearances. And despite Père Lachaise’s endless list of interred literary luminaries, famed war generals, and renowned composers, Jim gets all the attention.
But according to those who work at the cemetery, this attention is both unwarranted and unwanted. Workers report an endless array of unsavory behavior at the grave, from illicit trysts with prostitutes to Black Masses and drug parties. Fans have defaced his gravestone more times than can be counted. One worker even recalls a violent graveside riot requiring police intervention in 1991, the 20th anniversary of the songwriter and poet’s death.
CC: Adam Baker via Flickr
Among the most fascinating paranormal activity associated with Jim’s grave is an eerie photo taken in 1997 of rock historian Brett Meisner. Meisner didn’t notice the ghostly blur in the background of the photo until 2002. He sent it to a team of researchers for verification. The researchers ruled it “unexplainable” and in no way manipulated. That said, the verdict’s still out on whether or not Jim broke on through “to the other side.”
Elvis Presley, Graceland, MemphisRumors of a “faked death” swirled around Jim Morrison shortly after his passing, and these stories sometimes get rekindled by the tabloid press even today. But nobody continues to excite as much speculation and controversy as Elvis Presley. After his shocking death on August 16, 1977, Forest Hill Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee, became Elvis’s final resting place—next to his mother, Gladys. But his fans, quite literally, would not leave him be.
Potential grave robbers also got in on the action, forcing Elvis’s father, Vernon, to have the bodies of the “King of Rock” and Gladys exhumed and reburied at the Meditation Garden at Graceland. Today, Graceland also marks the final resting place of Vernon, Minnie Mae Presley (Elvis’s maternal grandmother), and Jesse Garon (Elvis’s stillborn twin brother). Priscilla Presley, Elvis’s ex-wife, wants to be buried there, too, so that she and Elvis can spend eternity together. Priscilla even claims to have regular communication with her ex-husband from the spirit realm.
According to staff at Graceland, fans bring flowers, photos of the king, stuffed animals, American flags, and other keepsakes to leave at his grave. Approximately 600,000 people visit each year. As you can imagine, this means plenty of clutter. Today, staff remove flowers once they wilt, and mementos get cleared daily.
CC: Daniel Schwen
Nonetheless, many diehard fans still refuse to believe “the King” is dead. While there are some reports of orbs and other paranormal activity at Graceland and Elvis’s gravesite, flesh-and-blood rumors prove more common.
Some claim a 55-year-old Elvis even made a guest appearance in the 1990 film Home Alone. And a more recent photo of a man with a white beard visiting the Meditation Garden has caused quite a stir. Many believe it’s a still-living Elvis visiting his grave on his 82nd birthday. In other words, the most loyal and hopeful of Elvis fans only visit the Meditation Garden in the hopes of catching a glimpse of him alive and well today.
By Engrid Barnett, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!
April 5, 2021
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April 2, 2021
Mafia Fugitive Captured After Trading Trafficking For Tortellini Tutorials
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
[March 29–April 4, 2021] Supermoon makes moves, wild rabbits digging up history, and smart shopping ravens—all round-up in this week’s weird news from Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Celestial Force Frees Ever Given Ever MoreGlobal economists are over the moon after Sunday’s supermoon helped free a giant shipping container from a week-long blockage in Egypt’s Suez Canal, allowing hundreds of ships to resume their journey.
The Ever Given caused quite the ruckus amongst the global trading industry last Tuesday when the 400-meter-long vessel became stuck horizontally across the bustling Canal, delaying over 400 other ships from reaching their destinations as scheduled.
Engineers worked around the clock using tugboats and dredgers to dig the ship out of its position to little avail until the “Worm Moon” took matters into its own orbit, creating a spring tide that raised the water levels 18 inches above normal by Monday morning, thus easing the dislodging process.
The gravity of the situation was finally alleviated that afternoon when the ship was declared refloated.
Though the Ever Given may have been released, it left several economic challenges in its wake. According to data from Lloyd’s List, the incident held up $9.6 billion for every day the ships were delayed, as they carried vital fuel and cargo from all over the world.
While the moon helped pull the ship out of gridlock, another strong elemental interference could be partially to blame for the jam, as winds reached up to 40 knots the day it got stuck. An investigation is underway to determine whether technical or human errors contributed to the global headache.
Wild Rabbits Hop Though Welsh History
Here’s how the full moon helped free the stuck ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal https://t.co/zqAQCNSd4k pic.twitter.com/17vUhB4P9T
— SPACE.com (@SPACEdotcom) March 29, 2021
Welsh archaeologists have been presented with the ultimate Easter basket after wild rabbits hopped their way into history, digging up ancient artifacts on Skokholm Island.
The island’s wardens, Richard Brown and Giselle Eagle, found the bunnies’ first unburied treasure, a 9,000-year-old Stone Age tool, while walking around near a rabbit warren. They immediately contacted archaeologist Toby Driver with a photo, who then brought Andrew David, a prehistoric stone tool expert, who confirmed the artifact’s significance. A few days later, the wardens stumbled upon a 3,750-year-old piece of pottery.
Lucky finds from rabbit hole re-write prehistory of our Wildlife Trust Skokholm Island! 🤩
Read more here
https://t.co/EtYAfut8bg pic.twitter.com/z57dvfI0fT
— WildlifeTrustSWWales 🦡
(@WTSWW) March 25, 2021
Similar artifacts have been uncovered on the U.K.’s mainland before, but this is the first hard evidence that Mesolithic people made their way to the island.
Located about 2 miles off the coast of southwest Wales, the island is also known as “Dream Island” due to its scenic beauty and thriving wildlife, which includes tens of thousands of seabirds.
Though little is known about the prehistoric islanders, the researcher rabbits have long been a part of Skokholm Island’s historical tapestry, descending from a fluffle from long ago when Skokholm Island acted as a rabbit farm for 200 years.
NASA’s Ingenuity Nods to Wright Brothers’ First FlightNASA’s latest mission to Mars has been full of historical moments, so it’s only fitting that they also brought a piece of history along for the ride—a swatch of fabric from the Wright brothers’ first airplane!
In just a few weeks, the tiny piece of aeronautical history will take flight yet again, only this time it’s going to fly a little bit higher.
Known as the Flyer, the postage-stamp-sized swatch, strapped beneath a solar panel, will be soaring over Mars via Helicopter Ingenuity as soon as April 8th.
The swatch’s inclusion is a nod to how far aerial mobility has come since the Wright brothers’ plane became the first powered flight on Earth in 1903.
“We are hoping that Ingenuity also allows us to expand and open up aerial mobility on Mars,” said Ingenuity chief engineer Bob Balaram.
In this illustration, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter stands on the Red Planet’s surface as NASA’s Perseverance rover (partially visible on the left) rolls away.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
They may travel in murders, but a few ravens in Alaska have been accused of a different kind of crime—swooping from the skies to steal groceries in a Costco parking lot.
One of the smartest breeds of birds in the world, ravens are no fools when it comes to getting their grub on—even if that means they have to steal it from unsuspecting shoppers, like Matt Lewallen.
Lewallen had just walked out of an Anchorage Costco and was putting his groceries in his car when two ravens swooped out of nowhere, snagging a short rib from his cart.
“They know what they’re doing; it’s not their first time,” said Lewallen, and perhaps he was onto something.
Other Anchorage residents have posted their own sightings on social media, claiming these “calculating” creatures are pros at getting what they want from the carts of innocent shoppers.
The Costco ravens get a bang for their beaks, stealing entire steaks, mini-melons, and more.
According to former wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott, hundreds of ravens flock to Alaska in the winter and scout for meals before flying out in the spring.
“For years, decades, they’ve watched people in parking lots of grocery stores with all this food,” said Sinnott.
It may not be wise to try to outsmart a raven, so perhaps the Costco shoppers should read up on how to befriend their local murders.
After seven years of searching, law enforcement finally caught up with Italian mafia fugitive Marc Feren Claude Biart on Wednesday, having tracked him to the Dominican Republic after discovering his cooking show on YouTube.
Biart, 53, has evaded capture from Interpol, Central Criminal Police Directorate, and police forces across 10 different countries since he was convicted of drug trafficking for an organized crime organization called ‘Ndrangheta in 2014.
Like a delicious meal, all good things must come to an end, and, ultimately, it was Biart’s zest for his native cuisine and craving for YouTube stardom that came back to bite him.
Police were tipped off to a cooking show featuring a host who didn’t show his face but did show his tattooed body giving tutorials on cooking authentic Italian food. It didn’t take long for police to figure out who the mystery chef was, based on these unique identifiers.
Biart was a long way from Italy when he was arrested at a tourist resort in Boca Chica, a municipality outside of Santo Domingo.
Authorities reported that Biart had been laying low in the Dominican Republic for over five years after a stint in Costa Rica.
We can all rest easy knowing the streets are safe from Biart and his saucy secrets.
Arrested in the Dominican Republic and extradited to Italy: #Ndrangheta fugitive Marc Feren Claude Biart, wanted on drug trafficking charges since 2014, lands in Italy to face justice.
Authorities located him after recognising his tattoos in a YouTube video.#StopNDrangheta pic.twitter.com/26ITHSZFW7
— INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) March 30, 2021
By Meghan Yani, contributor for Ripleys.com
EXPLORE THE ODD IN PERSON! Discover hundreds of strange and unusual artifacts and get hands-on with unbelievable interactives when you visit a Ripley’s Odditorium!Source: Mafia Fugitive Captured After Trading Trafficking For Tortellini Tutorials
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