It's that time of year again, where we pinpoint the various news stories and trends that dominated the world. My list includes:

-Ebola
-Michael Brown
-Tim Cook
-Falling gas prices
-"Polar Vortex"
-Scottish independence attempt
-Guardians of the Galaxy
-The Theory of Everything
-Meghan Trainor
-Alibaba corp.
-Inyuasha: The Final Act
-X-Men: Days of Future Past
-Robin Williams' passing
-"Fancy"
-Vladimir Putin
-Taylor Swift's popularity peak
-Curved electronic devices such as the iPhone 6
-Sochi Winter Olympics
-Brazil World Cup

Here are the previous "Things That Define" threads from this decade for a retrospective.

2010: http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe2010s/smf/1278068123.shtml
2011: http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inthe2010s/smf/1320328232.shtml
2012: http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=47521.0
2013: http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=49305.0

The Selfie and "Happy" are so last year!

"Happy" by Pharrell
Smart watches
Rosetta comet landing
Ferguson/racial unrest/police brutality protests
Frozen
"Turn Down For What" by DJ Snake
Ebola US outbreak
ISIS terrorists
Ukraine unrest
'90s dance/deep house revival
"Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift
EDM influenced Trap music peak

In a word....."meh"

Robin Williams Death
Stephen Colbert Ending the Colbert Report
Guardians of The Galaxy
Ferguson, MO/NYC Chokehold verdict
Ebola Outbreak
Russia taking over Ukraine
Malaysian Airlines plane vanishes
Fancy by Iggy Azalea
Shake it off by Taylor Swift
Happy by Pharell
ISIS
2014 World Cup
The Ultimate Warrior dies
Turn Down for What
Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The death of Joan Rivers
The death of Robin Williams
Ebola
ISIS
Bill Cosby

How could y'all forget to mention Justin Bieber's downfall?? It seems he's been laying low for a while now...  ::)

Miley Cyrus' pasties.  :o

How could y'all forget to mention Justin Bieber's downfall?? It seems he's been laying low for a while now...  ::)
Do not remind us!

How could y'all forget to mention Justin Bieber's downfall?? It seems he's been laying low for a while now...  ::)


I don't see anyone complaining of not hearing about Justin Bieber in 2014.

Miley Cyrus twerking
Bill Cosby's scandal
ISIS
Ebola
End of Honey Boo Boo show

I don't see anyone complaining of not hearing about Justin Bieber in 2014.


I wasn't complaining, just taking note of it...  :P

Miley Cyrus' pasties.  :o


Were they Cornish?

In a word....."meh"


Agreed. Give me 1990-1992.

Robin Williams
Joan Rivers
Bill Cosby
Ebola
Rain boots
Tucked in riding boots

How could y'all forget to mention Justin Bieber's downfall?? It seems he's been laying low for a while now...  ::)


The first half of 2014.

Miley Cyrus' pasties.  :o


Well then I would have to put Kim Kardashian's butt in this category. :P

Kim Kardashian

The evolution of Kim Kardashian..

http://www.blackmediascoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screen-Shot-2014-11-12-at-3.32.12-PM.png

2014 as I remember:

- The warm European winter, a contrast to the cold '12/'13 one.
- The debates about the Sochi Winter Games
- The "end of the eurocrisis" (we hope)
- The collapse of Middle Eastern powers, rise of IS
- Malala
- The plane shooting in Ukraine, with later a national day of mourning,
in which my whole Dutch nation was sad
- the return of overalls
- Pharrell's hat

- The "end of the eurocrisis" (we hope)



What crisis? According to the EU, there's never been any...


...assuming, of course, they can keep walloping half the member states with huge contribution increases in the faint hope it'll keep the useless piece of crud afloat...


...nope! No crisis here! Thanks, Mr Juncker!

-Scottish independence attempt




I so wish that had happened now, just to watch the poor, deluded pro-indy campaigners struggle to keep the whole damn thing afloat!

Don't get me started about that whining piece of lard that is Salmond! Westminster MP indeed!  >:(

The evolution of Kim Kardashian..

http://www.blackmediascoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screen-Shot-2014-11-12-at-3.32.12-PM.png



She is a horse's ass.  ::)

Eric Garner

Eric Garner


James Garner too.

James Garner too.


Yes, him too.

Ice Bucket Challenge!

Ice Bucket Challenge!
a completely silly challenge which harmed several people!

a completely silly challenge which harmed several people!


and gave a lot of people chills.

a completely silly challenge which harmed several people!
maybe but it was still a big thing this year. There wasnt a day I couldn't scroll through my news feed on Facebook without seeing ice bucket challenge videos from friends.

maybe but it was still a big thing this year. There wasnt a day I couldn't scroll through my news feed on Facebook without seeing ice bucket challenge videos from friends.
It was just not friends, it was celebrities too.

Another cast member from "Gone With the Wind" died this year.

Another cast member from "Gone With the Wind" died this year.
Many people have died this year.

Many people have died this year.


Joan Rivers
Robin Williams
Jimmy Ruffin

The disappearance of Maxwell Smart.

Let's hope that 2015 is known for the return of Maxwell Smart.  :)

Joan Rivers
Robin Williams
Jimmy Ruffin
Sir Richard Attenborough too

Sir Richard Attenborough too


Carol Ann Susi

Carol Ann Susi
Phil Hughes  :\'(

Phil Hughes  :\'(


Harold Ramis

Harold Ramis
Philip Seymour Hoffman  :\'(

Philip Seymour Hoffman  :\'(


Maya Angelou

The disappearance of MH370

The 13th anniversary of 9/11.

The gun siege in Sydney yesterday

Bill Cosby scandal

Bill Cosby scandal


http://www.officialpsds.com/images/thumbs/Hey-Hey-Hey-Its-Fat-Albert-psd58310.png

The Ebola virus

NFL controversy

shootings all around the world

Miley Cyrus twerking
Bill Cosby's scandal
ISIS
Ebola
End of Honey Boo Boo show

That was more from 2013.

smartphones and Apple iPhones

smartphones and Apple iPhones
these have been available in previous years.

smartphones and Apple iPhones


Lol that defines every year since at least 2009.

Ha I had a Nokia until january this year; so for me the smartphone thing started this year.

Maya Angelou

Michael Jackson released his latest album, Xscape.  8)

Michael Jackson released his latest album, Xscape.  8)


I liked that song "Love Never Felt So Good".

The removal of Flappy Bird from both Apple's App Store and Google Play by its creator. Shortly after the game's removal, security researchers warned that some versions of Flappy Bird and its imitators available on alternative Android app stores have been found to contain malware that can lead to unauthorised charges to a user's phone bills and bank accounts, by digging deep into the pockets of the customers and spitting it out. The number matching game 2048 has been compared to Flappy Bird because of the similarities between how people react to them and by the chain of clones that they are both respectively part of.


apps definitely defined 2014.

2014 as I remember:

- The warm European winter, a contrast to the cold '12/'13 one.
- The debates about the Sochi Winter Games
- The "end of the eurocrisis" (we hope)
- The collapse of Middle Eastern powers, rise of IS
- Malala
- The plane shooting in Ukraine, with later a national day of mourning,
in which my whole Dutch nation was sad
- the return of overalls
- Pharrell's hat


I'm glad someone remembers.

I'm glad someone remembers.


Always. I didn't know people on board personally, but as they said, everyone knew someone who knew someone involved.

Celebrities in the UK being tried under Operation Yewtree and been found guilty and sent to prison.

Ke$ha and Pitbull's smash hit, "Timber".

http://www.billboard.com/files/styles/promo_650/public/media/kesha-pitbull-amas-2013-650-430.jpg

Ke$ha and Pitbull's smash hit, "Timber".

http://www.billboard.com/files/styles/promo_650/public/media/kesha-pitbull-amas-2013-650-430.jpg
Two more to stay away from?

Continued problems regarding prices, employment, financial volatility, the effects of climate change, and conflict.

guns and violence.

guns and violence.
This can define many other years