I've Always Wondered ...

If you’re like us, you’ve got a lot of questions about the small, simple, ubiquitous things in the world of business. Let's find the answers.

What have you always wondered about the economy?

Are too many commercials bad for a company?

I've Always Wondered ...

Why aren’t all gas tanks on the same side of the car?

I've Always Wondered ...

Who does the U.S. owe $31.4 trillion?

I've Always Wondered ...

Why are bananas so cheap?

From This Collection

I've Always Wondered ...

Why do Walmart shoppers enter on the left and exit on the right?

by Janet Nguyen

Dec 9, 2021

It’s a matter of directing heavy foot traffic, experts say.

A view of a Walmart store in Illinois back in the early 2000s, which shows an entrance on the left and exit on the right.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

When was the last time we paid down the national debt?

by Janet Nguyen

Dec 2, 2021

The U.S. owes almost $29 trillion.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington. Congress is discussing what to do about the federal debt limit, again.

Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

Why is there still a need for physical bank branches?

by Janet Nguyen

Nov 18, 2021

Even as online banking has become more common, having face-to-face interaction with consumers is still important.

Pedestrians walk by a Chase bank on July 13, 2021 in San Francisco, California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

How do states without a sales tax or income tax pay for government services?

by Janet Nguyen

Nov 11, 2021

Only two states — Alaska and New Hampshire — have foregone both of these taxes.

A landscape view of Alaska, which is one of only two states that has neither a sales tax nor an income tax.

mantaphoto/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

How the $3 campaign contribution check box on your tax form works

by Janet Nguyen

Nov 4, 2021

The federal form allows you to contribute to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Few people do, and candidates aren’t accepting the offer.

The Presidential Election Campaign box on your federal tax form allows you to direct a few bucks to publicly funded races. Most people don't, and candidates have been turning down the offer.

Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

Are YouTube creators and Twitch streamers included in the monthly jobs report?

by Janet Nguyen

Oct 28, 2021

Making Youtube videos or streaming on twitch can be a full-time job (for some).

fizkes/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

Will stock market indexes go up forever?

by Janet Nguyen

Oct 21, 2021

U.S. stock indexes have climbed in recent decades but, historically speaking, the long run is a better bet than the short term.

Stocks have trended upward over the long run, along with the U.S. economy.

champc/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

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I've Always Wondered ...

Why does our tax system have brackets?

by Janet Nguyen

Oct 14, 2021

Each bracket covers a range of incomes, but the rates increase for those who make more.

The U.S. tax system has seven brackets, but some think it should be overhauled to include more.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

I've Always Wondered ...

How licensing versus imitation works in the food industry

by Janet Nguyen

Oct 7, 2021

While some brands create knockoffs of competing products, others license out the brand names themselves.

The Moose Tracks ice cream flavor is made by many brands, but always to strict specifications.

LRD615/Flickr

I've Always Wondered ...

How do song royalties for live performances work?

by Janet Nguyen

Sep 30, 2021

Artists will often perform covers of other musicians’ songs. A look at the rules that govern who gets paid.

U2 performing in concert in 2019, generating revenue for the songwriters.

Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images

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