Topic

Business & Economics

A collection of 113 issues

The Beautiful Failure: How Microsoft's Zune Paved the Way for the Future

Microsoft launched the Zune to kill the iPod, but its ambitious music player became a legendary flop. Yet, buried within its failure was a design philosophy that would eventually reshape the tech giant's entire visual identity.

Technology & Innovation Business & Economics History

The Vinyl Gold Rush: How a Teflon Salesman Built a Music Empire on TV

Before Spotify, one company used hypnotic late-night TV ads to sell millions of compilation albums. By licensing hit songs and bypassing retailers, K-Tel perfected a direct-to-consumer model that turned radio hits into a vinyl empire built on pure nostalgia.

Business & Economics Music History

The Million-Dollar Jog: How Tom Hanks Personally Financed Forrest Gump's Iconic Run

When Paramount Pictures refused to pay for Forrest Gump's famous cross-country run, the entire sequence was nearly scrapped. Believing it was essential, Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis made a high-stakes deal, funding the iconic scene themselves.

Entertainment & Media Biography & Personal Stories Business & Economics

The $100 Trillion IOU: A Post-Mortem on Zimbabwe's Dollar

In 2008, Zimbabwe's monthly inflation hit an estimated 79.6 billion percent, forcing its central bank to issue a $100 trillion banknote. This is the story of how a nation's currency became a global punchline and a stark warning about broken economic trust.

Business & Economics History Politics & Power

The Phantom Menace Flu: How a Movie Premiere Caused a $293 Million National Sick Day

In May 1999, the return of Star Wars after a 16-year wait prompted an estimated 2.2 million Americans to skip work, creating a cultural phenomenon that registered as a $293 million loss in national productivity.

Entertainment & Media Business & Economics Work & Labor

The Victory that Kills: A Tour of the Brand Name Graveyard

Ever asked for a 'Kleenex' or ridden an 'escalator'? You've participated in genericide, the strange process where a brand becomes so popular it loses its trademark forever, joining Aspirin and Thermos in the graveyard of fallen words.

Linguistics & Communication Business & Economics Law, Crime & Justice

How a Genuine Cure Became America's Most Famous Fraud

The term 'snake oil' is synonymous with quackery, but it began as a legitimate anti-inflammatory remedy brought to America by Chinese railroad workers. The name was only tarnished when American hucksters began selling counterfeit versions to an unsuspecting public.

History Medicine, Psychology & Health Business & Economics

The World is Running Out of the Right Kind of Sand

Desert nations with endless dunes import billions of tons of sand to build their cities. The reason is simple but profound: their native sand is the wrong shape, sparking a destructive global scramble for the gritty foundation of our modern world.

Business & Economics Environment & Climate Technology & Innovation

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