Greetings Webtaculators. If you’re anything like me, last week may have been incredibly difficult for you. The RNC decided reality does not matter, even as an cops continue to kill people extra-judiciously, proud MAGA children murder protesters and incite further violence across the US, and yet another one of this administration’s creators is charged with fraud. One of the preeminent faces of Black greatness passed away after creating some of the best performances in cinema while fighting back colon cancer. Sports collectively decided that they couldn’t provide passive entertainment while Americans continue to ignore the vast problems that exist within this country. These are not normal times, and the fact that too many people, both those in charge and those with no power, have decided to ignore science, decency, and general courtesy is mind-blowing. But maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised – many of these problems have existed my whole life, but thanks to a number of factors, have been able to slowly fester into the malignancy that currently exists within our culture. Sorry I cannot be more hopeful right now. I really just do not have it in me. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: The Worst This Country Has To Offer
Why: Because what has been ongoing in Kenosha since an officer decided to fire seven rounds into a person is the EXACT representation of all that is wrong with the US, with conservative thought, with police and their recruitment efforts, gun culture, and conspiratorial nonsense that has overtaken way too much of the US.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: A Reckoning
Why: Because even as stocks continue to bafflingly reach pre-COVID heights, businesses are beginning to act like this facade cannot last.

LEGAL THING OF THE WEEK (8 min. read)
What: Get Fucked, Bannon
Why: Because Steve Bannon is one of the worst humans in the US. He deserves worse than what he’ll get.

EDUCATION THING OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: Hell For Thee But Not For Me
Why: Because Falwell has been duping thousands of true believers to support a version of Christianity that obviously doesn’t exist. This sexually deviant ass hat and his family have already done so much to make secular life worse than it should be. It’s about time that I never have to hear about him again. (Note – I don’t care about what he does behind his own doors. However, I am applying his own standards of living to him, so he can go right off and fuck himself along with Steve.)

TECH THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Dreaming Of Electric Pigs
Why: Because Elon Musk claimed to have debuted a computer / brain interface product in a recruiting effort presentation. This article is the only article I found that does not take Musk at his word, which is the correct way to report this.

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Speaking With A Singular Voice
Why: Because the entire American sports world came to a halt in order to support Black Lives Matter. This is a huge deal – protests up to this point been individual in nature, (see, Kaepernick, Ali, Carlos and Smith, etc.) which has allowed the immensely powerful organizations they are part of bury their messages and punish their actions. By acting as a cohesive entity, these individuals and teams were able to force people to listen. The NBA alone drives BILLIONS of dollars a year in revenue – removing the ability of these sports organizations that potential take for a social cause is unprecedented. Maybe the rest of us could learn something from them.

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (6 min. read)
What: Wakanda Forever
Why: Because Chadwick Boseman, the actor who portrayed numerous Black heroes both real and imagined, passed away after a long battle with colon cancer. Separately, if you need a break from reality right now, go watch the new Bill and Ted to be reminded of the fact that we should all be excellent to each other.

LITERATURE THING OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: Bro-owulf
Why: Because a linguist decided to translate Beowulf into a version that uses the phrase hashtag:blessed in it. Do with it what you will.

DANCE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. watch)
What: The Mud Water Project
Why: Because my friend My-Linh directed a movie about the turfing dance movement in the Bay Area. Turfing is an outgrowth from the OG Black Bay dance form known as Boogaloo, which is currently fighting to reclaim its name from asshole militia folk who have co-opted it. Help My-Linh; beat the racists.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Venture Back Into The Post Apocalypse
Why: Because Wasteland 3 manages to pull off an interesting game in this setting, which hasn’t really been done since the original Fallout. It’s particularly fitting to explore a world that exist after society falls apart right now (if you can stomach the idea, which if not, completely understandable), especially ones that make it interesting to be there.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: This is becoming an increasingly dumb tradition to continue, because the Internet of now vs. the Internet of 2013 are two completely different beasts. However, in the continued tradition that there might still be some things worth looking at, here you go.
Criterion Of What?; Tiny Desk At Home; A Rational And Compassionate Voice
Why: Because Internet.

THING YOU SHOULD GET BRIAN OF THE WEEK
What: Back the Mud Water Project.
Why: Because Brian deserves it.

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