Greetings Webtaculators. This weekend, I got to see a group of friends in person. I had not been able to do this in over a year because of COVID. Thanks to the vaccine, things can start getting back to normal, or some version of it. Also, pay your taxes. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: Back To Normal
Why: Because I have essentially written a version of the recent escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine multiple times already throughout Webtacular World’s eight year history (See Issue # 283, Issue # 233, Issue # 226, Issue # 168, and Issue # 33 for just some examples). Much like those other times, the violence and death is a choice, and not a necessary outcome, made by two hardline parties in a bid to maintain their own power. It has been, and remains, atrocious.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: Infrastructure Week!
Why: Because the United States is still falling apart, but the right policies can start putting it back together.

LAW THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: The NRA Is Screwed
Why: Because a judge tossed out the NRA’s bankruptcy claim, leaving the organization on the hook for New York-based lawsuits.

TECH THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: Ode To The Filing Cabinet
Why: Because filing systems are an important, overlooked part of business operations.

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Greatness
Why: Because Steph Curry singlehandedly willed a broken Warriors team to the play-in game while also winning his second scoring title at the age of 33. That may not seem old, but it is ancient in basketball years.

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Dumb Zombie Fun
Why: Because maybe we all need a bit of purposeful stupidity now and then.

MUSIC THING OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: A Little Bit Blonder Now
Why: Because St. Vincent’s latest album runs right back to the 1970s. It works, because everything Annie Clark touches does.

PHOTOGRAPHY THING OF THE WEEK (long look)
What: The Same Damned Thing
Why: Do you like seeing people being obliterated by rockets and missiles? I sure don’t.

LITERATURE THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Game Makers
Why: Because the video games industry still hasn’t figured out that keeping workers relatively happy over a long term is worthwhile.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Just 12 Minutes 
Why: Because the game 12 Minutes looks like it might be one of the templates for how games can be the best medium to tell certain stories.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: A History In Googling; Lovetris; Hearing Rage For The First Time
Why: Because Internet.

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

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