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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 ...

Cream cheese has a history wrapped in tin foil

by Jana Kasperkevic
Apr 26, 2017
Why is the packaging so difficult to reuse?
Cream cheese bricks come in handy when making a cheesecake, but the foil packaging is not exactly reusable.
Victor Chavez/Getty Images
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Green peppers are cheaper than their more colorful comrades. Here's why.

by Jana Kasperkevic
Apr 19, 2017
It has to do with time spent on the vine.
Kathy Curry of New Orleans buys bell peppers to stuff, a signature New Orleans dish. The USDA says the rise in pepper demand is due in part to a wider range of recipes calling for them.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why the FDA doesn't like chocolate eggs with toys inside

by Jana Kasperkevic
Apr 14, 2017
Would you risk a $2,500 fine for a seasonal treat?
The original Kinder Egg packaging, pictured above, is banned in the U.S.  
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
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I've Always Wondered ...

How women raised the median family income

by Mitchell Hartman
Apr 11, 2017
A listener asks whether we can compare the median family income in 1980 to the present, since more women are in the workforce.
As women have entered the workforce in greater numbers, they've also contributed more to family income.
JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why a burger at Carl's Jr. may be the same at Hardee's

by Annie Baxter
Mar 6, 2017
Why do seemingly identical brands go by different names in other regions?
Is this a Carl's Jr. burger or a Hardee's burger? Or both?
CKE Restaurants
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I've Always Wondered ...

From farm to glass: How hops are priced

by Robert Garrova
Dec 26, 2016
Hops provide the bitter taste beer drinkers love, but who says how much these fragrant little flowers are worth?
"Beer is still good business," says Patrick Smith, CEO of Loftus Ranches in Yakima, Washington. Above, fresh hops from a California farm.
Katherine Garrova/Marketplace
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I've Always Wondered ...

Flexible return policies can lead to fewer returns

by Andy Uhler
Dec 22, 2016
Customers associate the quality of a return policy with the quality of the store
Shoppers at Target in Los Angeles. 
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why clothing sizes are all over the map

by Mitchell Hartman
Dec 5, 2016
A listener asks why garments of the same size may not have the same measurements, and often don't fit the same way.
Young woman choosing blouse in the clothes shop
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I've Always Wondered ...

Where did 'I approve this message' come from?

by Adam Allington
Oct 17, 2016
The fix for attack ads run amok has lost some of its power in the digital age.
A view of a digital billboard supporting Donald Trump in Times Square, New York City. The billboard was paid for by a pro-Trump political action committee (Super PAC) called 'Committee to Restore America's Greatness.' 
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why is automated phone help so bad?

by Sally Herships
Aug 8, 2016
In the latest installment of I've Always Wondered, we explain why you need to repeatedly enter your account number, or date of birth, and then repeat it to human operator.
We've all been there. 
Shaun Heasley/Getty Images
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