Greetings Webtaculators. Vote no on the recall. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: 20 Years Of Never Forgetting
Why: Because this past Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of one of the most influential single events of modern history, that we are collectively asked to Never Forget! I do not know how it would be possible to forget 9/11, considering how much the world changed on that day. I would not be who I am today without having been a Sophomore in high school who woke up one morning to watch one of the most recognizable buildings in the U.S. smolder and then crumble as its other tower already lay in ruins. It led me to understand the power of political voices, drove me towards studying Political Science with an emphasis on Middle Eastern studies, and ultimately led me to my career in renewable energy to ensure that the United States would never have to rely on Middle Eastern oil to drive its ever thirsty machine again. If I ever forgot what happened on November 11, 2001, that would only mean that I have lost all cognitive ability.

The rallying cry of Never Forget! has always felt inappropriate to me – not because it ever would be possible for someone who was alive at the time to not be aware of 9/11, or because isn’t worth commemorating (it very much is), but because it doesn’t ask for anything else but imagining 3,000 people being killed in a horrendous way. It doesn’t demand that we think about why a group of people would be angry enough at America to think that crashing planes into buildings was a good idea, it doesn’t demand that we reflect what the United States’, the world’s, and our personal reactions, it doesn’t ask us to be better in the future. It only asks us to be performatively sad and angry, forever (with the unspoken understanding that not being performatively sad or angry enough means that you are an unpatriotic American).

There is nothing gained from only never forgetting – there must be more so we can stop making the same mistakes we have made over the last twenty years when we think about America’s role in the world over the next two decades.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Tax The Rich
Why: Because the wealthy have forgotten that their wealth is not created by them alone.

LAW THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Oh, The Only Differences Are PHILOSOPHICAL!
Why: Because I guess Amy Barrett forgot that her job was to ignore her personal beliefs when she decided to uphold Texas’ abortion law by saying nothing.

TECH THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Return Of The Recordings
Why: Because Facebook + Ray Ban finally designed tech for your face that don’t look dorky. This is not good.

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (2 min. read)
What: A New Hope
Why: Because the tennis world was rocked by two teenagers who made it to the Women’s finals.

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. watch)
What: Down The Rabbit Hole Again
Why: Because the new Matrix trailer is out. Also, Wes Anderson finally filmed a movie specifically for me.

MUSIC THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. watch)
What: More Metal
Why: Because Iron Maiden still shreds.

PHOTOGRAPHY THING OF THE WEEK (4 min. read)
What: Look At The Pretty People Being Pretty
Why: Because the Met Gala happened in person, so people dressed up.

LITERATURE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: May As Well Read Dune Again
Why: Because it would probably help to re-read the book before the movie comes out so you might have a chance of understanding what is going on.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK (10 min. watch or 6 min. read)
What: Out Of The Loop
Why: Because DEATHLOOP (all caps baby) appears to be a genre defining game in genre that already looked like it was full. Arkane Studios already created modern classics like Prey and Dishonored, but this one looks special.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: Ducks Can Now Insult You Verbally; Steve From Blue’s Clues Destroys Younger Millennials; Puddles The Clown Is Back And Will Make You Feel Sad As Well
Why: Because Internet.

THING YOU SHOULD GET BRIAN OF THE WEEK
What: VOTE.
Why: Because Brian deserves it, and Tuesday, September 14th is the final day to do so.

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