Greetings Webtaculators. The United States is about to reach 500,000 COVID deaths. Almost a year ago, Dr. Fauci and the CDC were estimating 100,000 to 240,000 people could die – a number we reached in November. As of today, more people are dying daily than did during the summer peak. COVID is still far from over. Please get the vaccine if you can. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: Texas Freezes Over
Why: Because Texas’ “go it alone” strategy failed its citizens completely. After a week of freezing temperatures and limited electricity, the state now has to fix its water supply. However, since Texas continues to vote people like Ted Cruz (who remains one of the worst humans alive – in the last two months, he helped instigate an attempted over throw of the United States, and then fled across the boarder to Mexico to avoid dealing with his state’s massive infrastructure problem) into office, things will not change.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Avoided Costs
Why: Because Texas had ample warnings and time to ensure its infrastructure could survive intact. Americans apparently hate planning for foreseeable events.

LAW THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: No News Is Some News
Why: Because Australia implemented a law that would force tech companies to pay for Australian news content (read Rupert Murdoch owned companies). Facebook decided not to pay, and removed Australians’ ability to post links. Maybe Facebook should implement this over here?

SCIENCE THING OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: TO THE MOON MARS!
Why: Because NASA successfully landed a rover on Mars to search for signs of life. [Takes massive bong rip] WHAT IF WE’RE ACTUALLY THE ALIENS????

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Changing Of The Guard
Why: Because Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open. She blew past Serena Williams, who herself had blown past her competition. Both of these highlights are well worth watching. It is amazing how much better at tennis Naomi was than everyone else.

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. watch)
What: MOOOORTAL KOOOMBAAAAT
Why: Because video game movies are BACK, BABY! This is the silliest looking thing ever. It is perfect.

MUSIC THING OF THE WEEK ()
What: The Evolving Landscape Of Rights
Why: Because Taylor Swift is re-recording her entire catalogue, De La Soul went on a cartoon to widen their cause in their decades long fight with their original record label, and Metallica’s BlizzConline Twitch stream had to replace live performance music with nonsense to make sure streamers wouldn’t get strikes against their accounts.

PHOTOGRAPHY THING OF THE WEEK (long look)
What: MARS!
Why: Because Mars is cool.

SPEECH THING OF THE WEEK (long watch)
What: Look At All Those Regional Accents!
Why: Because American English is all over the place.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Diablicious
Why: Because Blizzard is re-making Diablo II, the purest form of “click on the pixels until they die” that has ever been made.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: All Your Base Are 20, And You Are Old; Masterclasses All The Way Down; Day In The Life Of Boat
Why: Because Internet.

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

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