Greetings Webtaculators. I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving, however different it may have been this year. Speaking of this year, we’re in the home stretch. One month to go. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (long reads)
What: Parting Gifts
Why: Since Trump lost, it seems like he has been doing everything in his waning power to bring everything else down with him. First, “someone”(HINT HINT most likely Israel with the US’ blessing) assassinated Iran’s top nuclear scientist. Considering the number of prominent Iranians that have been killed this year, it is unlikely this one will go unanswered. Also remember, that Iran wouldn’t have been developing nuclear weapons in the first place if Trump hadn’t withdrawn the US from its accord with Iran.

Back at home, Trump continues to fail at convincing courts that he actually won. After a recount in Wisconsin his supporters footed the bill for, Trump actually lost by a larger amount than if he had just shut up and conceded like a normal president. However, since he isn’t out of office until January next year, he continues to abuse his power, most heinously by pardoning Michael Flynn, even though he plead guilty, twice.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: The Invisible Hand Of Very Wealthy People
Why: Because VCs essentially are able to ignore things like “market signals,” “common sense,” or “reality” while propping up impossible business models until everything else is dead.

LAW THING OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: In Jesus’ Name, We Die
Why: Because a bunch of Catholic Justices ignored their Pope, and decided that the First Amendment protects holding religious services from actions taken to promote public health. This ruling is insidious on multiple fronts –  Holding public services are neither required by religions, nor actually unfairly targeting religions because they are religions. Furthermore, this case should not have been heard, since New York had already changed the order at the time of the ruling, and the plaintiffs shouldn’t have had standing in in the Supreme Court the first place.

HEALTH THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: Still Worse
Why: Because I am not looking forward to reading the numbers at the end of next week. New York decided it’s a good time to reopen schools.

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Cocaine Is A Hell Of A Drug
Why: Because Diego Maradona was larger than life, and one of the greatest soccer players ever.

Also, two old men threw punches at each other, but because it’s boxing, and the scores are made up anyway, it was a tie. Tyson was also admittedly high, which is appropriate considering Snoop Dogg was an announcer for some reason.

Probably the only good sports news was that for the first time, a woman played in a major college game.

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: One With The Force
Why: Because David Prowse, the original Darth Vader actor (famously, not the voice), passed away.

TELEVISION THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. reads)
What: The Nineties Are Back
Why: Because there are new versions of both the Animaniacs and Saved By The Bell – if you guessed that the new SBTB was going to be the better reviewed of the two… well, I’m right there with you.

MUSIC THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Not So Smashing
Why: Because the Smashing Pumpkins released what sounds like an 80s version of themselves. It’s fine! But when you’re comparing yourself to things like Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness and Siamese Dream, just OK doesn’t quite cut it.

PHOTOGRAPHY THING OF THE WEEK (long look)
What: I’ve Seen This One Before
Why: Because France is also having to deal with the inconvenience of brutal police.

LITERATURE THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: Improbable Voices
Why: Because my high school history teacher, who also is a librarian, took a thought many people probably have had (“I wonder what was actually going on in the world outside of of three European countries and the US?”) and wrote an entire painstakingly detailed book about that and the goings-ons of the entire world in both chronological and alphabetical order (again, librarian). I cannot recommend this enough.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK ()
What: DJ Turn The Music Up
Why: Because Harmonix, the creators of Rock Band, made an excellent music game revolving around EDM festivals, and this time it doesn’t even require any expensive plastic instruments! I’ve been having arguably too much fun making my own downtempo remixes of Call Me Maybe.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: Horse Girls; Stop Speed Read; The Poopiest Toys
Why: Because Internet.

THING YOU SHOULD GET BRIAN SHOULD BECOME OF THE WEEK
What: The Next Sonoma County Pasta King
Why: Because Brian deserves it.

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