Best Movie: Avengers: Age of Ultron

The best movie of this year would be the Avengers: Age of Ultron. Some might put it off as a simple popcorn flick, but I feel like it deserves to be called more than that. Avengers: Age of Ultron continues the story of the Avengers but it also adds more character development that many felt was needed for some characters. The relationship between many of the characters, such as Tony Stark and Captain America, has changed, with them being initially at odds with each other during the first Avengers movie, but now cooled and relatively warm, with plenty of humor involved. The story and plot-line actually makes sense, unlike many movies that have frequent plot-holes and skips that make one wonder where this character came from or how this character did this. Although some events in the movie will be cliche and predictable, all in all, the Avengers: Age of Ultron is more than just a simple popcorn flick.If you're one of those people who want to see plenty of action, Age of Ultron has it. Want humor? Age of Ultron has plenty of humor. Want to see your favorite superheroes? Obviously, this movie has that. The movie's villain, Ultron, is a better villain than half the ones I've seen in many superhero movies. His intentions and motivations change and further develop instead of just being predictable "take over the world" schemes. His personality, albeit serious, can take a humorous tone from time to time, which makes him oddly easy to like, which is difficult for other villains and usually non-existent. I would recommend anyone to watch the Avengers: Age of Ultron as it is a fun, action-packed adventure that will have you on the edge of your seats. You simply won't regret it and it will be worth the money.

Best Video Game: Alien Isolation

No other video game has frightened me in the way Alien: Isolation has. It is simply fear-inspiring that it trounced other games in the survival genre. No other video game will leave you with a heavy heart rate and shivers in your entire body. Alien: Isolation takes into the shoes of Amanda Ripley, Ellen Ripley's daughter for those of you that haven't watched Alien. Amanda is sent to the space station Sevastopol to investigate her mother's disappearance. What she doesn't know however, is that a Xenomorph or the Alien, again for those of you unfamiliar to the Alien series, is already in the station. The basic point of the game is to get out of the station while at the same time trying to avoid the Xenomorph. The Xenomorph isn't just any video game AI however. Instead of being in a predictable, set path, the AI randomly roams the station and is attracted by sound or if staying in area for too long. The player is able hide in lockers, under tables, in vents, and is able to craft tools in order to distract or hurt the Xenomorph. The Xenomorph, however, will adapt to the strategy used by the player to evade it. If you hide in the lockers constantly, the Xenomorph will often search any nearby lockers. Players who frequent the vents will find that the Xenomorph will join them there more often. Flamethrowers that on first use will frighten the Xenomorph and cause it to flee, will no longer drive it back and will become useless. The Xenomorph is death made flesh, and error will cause death, again and again. However deadly it may be, it isn't the only thing that will kill you on the station. Malfunctioning androids will attack and kill you on sight and are only vulnerable to multiple shotgun blasts or a large amount of hits taken from a wrench. Human survivors also stalk the station, with many paranoid and afraid enough to threaten to kill you if you wander too close. These survivors are often armed to the teeth and will not hesitate to shoot. Should you decide to play Alien: Isolation, good luck.

Best Video Game Storyline: The Last of Us

When people think of video games, they usually think of simple shooters or beat-em-up games that are all gameplay and no story. The Last of Us is a masterpiece that will make many a gamer wonder whether he's at the movie theater or at his house playing a video game. The Last of Us is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic version of the United States where much of the country has been ravaged by a fungal virus that causes the infected to die but be reanimated into deadly creatures. The virus is spread through bites or through fungal spores released into the air. The longer the infected has had the virus, the deadlier the creature he or she becomes. The story revolves around a man named Joel who is forced to help deliver a teenage girl named Ellie and the cure to the virus, to a rebel group. It might seem like the typical plot to a movie that revolves around "zombies" and the "undead" but it turns into something greater and deeper. Joel and Ellie's relationship changes vastly throughout the entire story, and their interactions with other characters reveal the depths of human nature in a society where survival is the of utmost importance. The characters aren't stock and generic but feel very human and alive. They resemble true people with feelings, hopes, regrets, and intentions and they're struggles feel as if you've stepped into their shoes and are experiencing what they experience. The developers of the Last of Us created a superior storyline that would be a box office hit were it a movie and undoubtedly have people crying for sequels. The Last of Us shows how savage humans are when the comforts of a normal, stable society are taken away from them, and how we are ultimately set to the survival of our own selves, regardless of the perils and struggles of others. The Last of us reveals the core of humanity and our truest nature.

Best TV Drama: Game of Thrones

My top TV show of the year would be Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is undoubtedly the greatest TV program in modern history. It sheds the tropes of typical fantasy with elves, dwarves, and other fictional creatures being absent and instead gives up characters who are truly human. Instead of archetypal heroes who are always just and fair and villains who are completely one-dimensional that it's just ridiculous. In Game of Thrones, we receive characters whose morality and intentions are very ambiguous that fans create elaborate theories just to explain them. If you're a fan of medieval fantasy, then the world of Game of Thrones will be one that you enjoy experiencing. Game of Thrones is mainly set a in a fictional continent called Westeros which is based heavily on medieval England. In Westeros there are Seven Kingdoms all ruled by one King who rules from the Iron Throne. Each Kingdom is ruled by a Lord who swears fealty to the King. These high lords are each served by other smaller lords who in turn swear fealty to them. These lords scheme for power, prestige, and greater position at court, with political power plays and wars not uncommon. Game of Thrones is, as it name says, a game for the throne. Decisions made at one point in the show will have consequences later on and characters will either face favorable or unfavorable problems based on their previous actions. Realism is kept in the show with it forgoing many tropes of fantasy such as orcs, demons, magic, elves, and dwarves. While there are typical fantasy elements such as dragons, these are kept to a minimum in order to create a world that despite being a different one from ours, is similar to ours. Game of Thrones is a masterpiece adapted from the brilliant mind of George R.R. Martin, the author of the book series A Song of Ice and Fire from which Game of Thrones is based on.

Current Event: Walmart takes stand against animal cruelty and overuse of antibiotics on farms

Walmart has announced that it wants its food suppliers to stop inhumane treatment of animals and overuse of antibiotics. Walmart, the largest food retailer in the US, said today that it would urge its suppliers to to support a new set of rules known as the "five freedoms" of animal welfare. The rules detail raising animals in environments that keep free from fear, hunger, discomfort, sickness, and confined spaces. It also urges suppliers to stop using antibiotics for growth purposes and to adopt voluntary FDA guidelines that limit the use of medically important antibiotics. :we believe that farm animals in our supply chain should be treated humanely throughout their lives and that the welfare of farm animals should be considered in selection of all production systems, practices, and technologies," Walmart wrote on its website. Walmart, one of the largest food retailers in the US, has made a major step forward towards the humane treatment of animals and the proper usage of antibiotics. Walmart follows McDonald's and Chick-fil-A in setting timelines for removing some or all antibiotics use.

The five freedoms are as following:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst - by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.

2. Freedom from discomfort - by providing appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease - by ensuring prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to express normal behavior - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

5. Freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Free Post: What flag should humanity plant on other planets?

The idea that one day Earth will finally be at peace and united under a single government is something that interests a great many people. If such event were to happen, what would be the flag that humanity would plant on newly discovered planets as we spread throughout the stars? A graphic designer named Oskar Pernefeldt designed an interesting idea of one flag. His design is a blue field with a series of intersecting white circles. The design looks similar to the Olympic flag if you look at it at a certain angle. Pernefeldt chose the color blue to represent the ocean that covers the majority of Earth's surface. The rings interconnecting are supposed to represent all life on Earth and how everything is connected to each other in some way. This idea isn't something new, since people have been making imaginative flags since it possible to do. Now, some people believe that should the Earth be united, that we shouldn't have flags anymore, as flags are indicative of separate groups of people divided by social constructs. Basically, if we're united as one people, we shouldn't have a flag because flag in this case represents countries. I personally feel that if there was one human nation, then we should have one united flag, as this new flag will represent everyone on Earth. In any case, the future of Earth being united under one flag is still something that hopefully is attainable in the future. When humans start (hopefully we do) spreading throughout the stars, we need a flag to plant to represent humanity extending our reach. For the flag design, I like Pernefeldt's design, but I feel like it should have more symbolism.


Link to the article with Oskar Pernefeldt's flag design.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/18/8622411/international-flag-planet-earth-design-mockups

Current Event: European cars will automatically call emergency services after a crash

Cars in member countries of the European Union will now have an emergency call feature installed in them beginning in March 31st, 2018. The emergency system is known as eCall and would automatically contact emergency services in the event of a crash. In-car sensors, such as the car's airbags being triggered, would activate eCall and contact emergency services. eCall will be free of charge but would cost manufacturers 100 euros per car to have it installed. The EU expects eCall to lower emergency response time by 40 percent in areas with large amounts of traffic and 50 percent in rural areas. Several member states of the EU have voiced their objection to making eCall compulsory, believing that, ' the benefit of making eCall mandatory in all new cars does not justify the cost of implementing it." In any case, Erick Jonnaert of the European Automobile Manufacturer's Association has voiced that, "the industry feels that the final text strikes a good balance between saving lives and protecting data."

http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/29/8512845/ecall-europe-emergency-call-2018