What I Look at on the Internet

I’m leaving NPR. As a present to myself, I made this guide to almost every single Social Sandbox post from last November to the present, organized by topic. (Here’s the web version if you want to bookmark it or send it to your coworkers or pass along to a friend.) - Mel

That’s not a problem, it’s consensus. 

Watch 38 years of American unemployment in 120 seconds

If you have two minutes to spare, here’s a crash course on almost 40 years’ worth of U.S. economic data.

On Wednesday, enterprising Redditor @MetricMaps posted this dazzling GIF compiling state unemployment data from 1976 until now. It’s at once a gripping look at national trends — e.g. the Great Recession — and an in-depth analysis of how each region fared at a specific time.

So Far, This Fifth Grader’s Diary Entry is the Most Punk Rock Thing Ever

Words For Teenagers - 1959

In recent weeks, the managers, employees, and customers of a New England chain of supermarkets called “Market Basket” have joined together to oppose the board of director’s decision earlier in the year to oust the chain’s popular chief executive, Arthur T. Demoulas.

Last year a non-American asked if I consider myself patriotic. After many ums and ahs and caveats, I said yes. I told him that I feel about America the way I feel about family: I didn’t choose it, I can’t control or endorse everything it does, but I do love it.

This is an important 4th of July distinction:

pa·tri·ot·ism: love that people feel for their country

na·tion·al·ism: a feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries

jin·go·ism: the feelings and beliefs of people who think that their country is always right and who are in favor of aggressive acts against other countries