Happy 4th of July Weekend, Webtaculators! I hope everyone is enjoying their bonus weekend night. I know I am – I saw a bear, I hung out at a lake, and ate BBQ – basically did the most American thing you can do. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Death In The Middle East
Why: Because it often seems like we only pay attention to the fact that terrorism reaches even those people that many people assume causes it.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (15 min. read)
What: Payday Deduction
Why: Because payday lending is one of the many things that prevent poorer people from being able to get ahead.

LAW THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Abortion Stays
Why: Because in the alternative, multiple states would have been allowed to limit access to the point that an abortion would essentially unavailable.

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: An Icelandic Fairytale
Why: Because Iceland finally lost to France in one of the most unlikely Euro Cup appearances by a team in recent history.

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (long look)
What: Meet The New Academy
Why: Because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just extended invitations for membership to a large new class, many of which are people of color. It’s about time.

MUSIC THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Creating Great Artists
Why: Because music is an integral part of the human experience, even it’s hard to describe why.

PHOTOGRAPHY THING OF THE WEEK (long look)
What: Homelessness, Examined
Why: Because a number of Bay Area news agencies have banded together to explore the current state of homelessness. One of my friends from high school was able to photograph some of it.

LITERATURE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Good Night
Why: Because Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, voice of millions , and author of Night, died over the weekend.

RADIO THING OF THE WEEK (2 hr. 20 min. listen)
What: Leaving The Prairie
Why: Because I spent way too many Sundays listening to the travesties of Lake Woebegone as narrated by Garrison Keillor. At least he’s being replaced by a genius.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Tetris, The Trilogy
Why: Because this is Tetris. It does not need 3 movies.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: Baby Work; Magic!; BBQing
Why: Because Internet.

THING YOU SHOULD GET BRIAN OF THE WEEK
What: Crystal Pepsi
Why: Because Brian deserves it.

Webtacularly yours,
Brian
Managing Editor, Webtacular World
The Internet You Didn’t Know You Needed™