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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 ...
Are too many commercials bad for a company?
Why aren’t all gas tanks on the same side of the car? 
I've Always Wondered ...
Why aren’t all gas tanks on the same side of the car? 
Who does the U.S. owe $31.4 trillion?
I've Always Wondered ...
Who does the U.S. owe $31.4 trillion?
Why are bananas so cheap?
I've Always Wondered ...
Why are bananas so cheap?

From This Collection

I've Always Wondered ...

What's a point on the Dow, S&P or Nasdaq?

by Mitchell Hartman
Jul 13, 2021
Our listener asks what constitutes a "point" on the major stock market indexes.
The American obsession with stock index numbers developed during the economic boom years of the 1950s and '60s, according to historian Tom Stapleford.
Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Didn't use your airline ticket? Why it's hard to get taxes and fees back.

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 8, 2021
And when a refund is available, you have to request it.
Travelers wait in line at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why are some hot dog buns split on the top and some on the side?

by Janet Nguyen
Jul 1, 2021
There are myriad regional twists to hot dogs. The bun is no exception.
A plate of hot dogs sit on a table at a hot dog-eating contest in Coney Island.
David Paul Morris/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Purchasing a home ... in this economy?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 24, 2021
There's a housing market frenzy across the country and prices have jumped. How do people afford them?
A home for sale in Brooklyn, New York. The market has been short of inventory during the pandemic, boosting prices and putting houses beyond the reach of many families.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

How is digital tipping affecting service workers?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 18, 2021
As more companies move toward digital payments, that could create complications for employees.
A close up of a customer paying in a pharmacy with her mobile phone.
Geber86/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why don’t U.S. businesses show more support for single-payer health care?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 10, 2021
U.S. companies have to navigate a complicated and expensive health insurance system.
A surgeon looks at a monitor in an operating room.
shapecharge/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

How does age discrimination affect the economy?

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 3, 2021
Bias against older workers may lead to hundreds of billions of dollars in lost wages and GDP.
The problem of age discrimination, which hurts older workers and reduces GDP, may have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FG Trade/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Can highway billboard signs change driver behavior?

by Janet Nguyen
May 27, 2021
Dozens of states are spending time crafting safety messages using puns or humor to encourage safe driving habits.
A view of a highway billboard sign in Ohio aimed at improving driver behavior.
Courtesy of Matt Bruning/Ohio Department of Transportation
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I've Always Wondered ...

What if the U.S. had a national maximum wage?

by Janet Nguyen
May 20, 2021
The average CEO makes hundreds of times more money than the average worker. A maximum wage policy would narrow that gap.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is worth an estimated $192 billion, according to Forbes.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Is it worth getting traded on over-the-counter markets?

by Janet Nguyen
May 13, 2021
A New Jersey deli that reached a market capitalization of more than $100 million on an over-the-counter exchange raised many eyebrows.
Hometown International, which owns a single deli in New Jersey, reportedly had a market capitalization of more than $100 million. (Pictured above: A generic pastrami sandwich.)
LauriPatterson/Getty Images
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