Greetings Webtaculators! Sorry for the delay – turns out it’s hard to make one of these during a power outage. It would generally help if people remembered that driving during new rain is especially dangerous due to extra slick roads, but humans have proven again and again that they learn nothing from well known previous experiences <<shrug emoji>>. On to the news.

STORY OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: At What Cost
Why: Because Colin Powell passed away due to complications from a combination of COVID and blood cancer (remember, this is why it’s important for healthy people to get vaccinated in general). The New York Times article noting Mr. Powell’s death is too kind by far, and does not go far enough in describing just how much his lies to the UN regarding non-existent weapons of mass destruction helped sway America’s decision to go to war in the Middle East, or even his role in washing the military’s hands of My Lai in Vietnam. Yes, he broke color barriers, was relatively apolitical, and even denounced Trump at the end, but always seemed to do too little, too late, especially when it mattered.

ECONOMIC THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: We Quit
Why: Because people are over working too hard for too little.

HEATH THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: The Other, Other Epidemic
Why: Because crystal meth’s evolution from a super soldier serum to Semi Charmed Song to a brain-rotting horror drug can largely be traced to a combination of draconian drug laws combined with little will to help root causes of why communities seek out drugs in the first place. People aren’t killing themselves with meth and Fenatyl because they’re generally doing ok.

LAW THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: How Not To Run A Prison
Why: Because Rikers is the definition of a broken system.

TECH THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Notches On Everything
Why: Because Apple is coming out with its new line of computers, which not only have insanely fast processors, but also stuck a notch ON A 16 INCH DEVICE, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. People do not hate bezels that much.

SPORTS THING OF THE WEEK (too many reads)
What: Oh Man, Where To Start
Why: Because Urban Meyer, Kyrie Irving, Jon Gruden, Evander Kane, Ed Orgeron, Nick Rolovich and the Dodgers beat the Giants. 

MOVIE THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. watch)
What: THE GRIMMEST BATMAN
Why: Because the Dark Night wasn’t dark enough.

MUSIC THING OF THE WEEK (long read)
What: The Best
Why: Because Pitchfork is old at this point, so why not look at the last 25 years of music.

LITERATURE THING OF THE WEEK (5 min. read)
What: Sure, Write A Bestseller While You’re At It
Why: Because Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighter fame is now a bestselling author to boot.

VIDEO GAME THING OF THE WEEK (3 min. read)
What: Full Of Dread
Why: Because the Metroid Dread is a gorgeous, difficult game that falls a bit too far on the “less fun” side of the difficulty curve – instead of overcoming a challenge feeling like a breakthrough, it feels like a slog. It just barely misses, though, and your milage may vary.

INTERNET THINGS OF THE WEEK (∞)
What: Don’t Go Down The Hole; Halloween Is Near; The Future Of Music
Why: Because Internet.

THING YOU SHOULD GET BRIAN OF THE WEEK
What: $1K Storm Trooper Costume
Why: Because Brian deserves it.

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