Economy
Discover facts about economy. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Economy
Why artists sometimes split songwriting credits
A studio visit can turn into a royalty claim: some major artists seek songwriting credit for being present or making a small lyric change. That share comes…
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Why adjunct professors can earn less than minimum wage
Adjuncts often get a flat fee for teaching a class, with no extra pay for planning lessons, grading papers, or answering students. Count those hours, and…
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T-Mobile claims ownership of a shade of magenta
Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's parent, trademarked the specific magenta used in its branding. It has challenged similar shades used by other businesses,…
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Why your neighbor might legally cross your property
The awkward part of an easement is that the land is yours, but a neighbor may still have a right to cross it. That can happen when your driveway is their only…
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Some people build houses purely out of spite
A spite-house builder wants to block a neighbor’s sunlight, view, or alley access—not create a pleasant home. The narrow shape is the point: the building is a…
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Why harpists get paid extra to move their instruments
A harp does not fit neatly into the back seat, so orchestras pay cartage fees to help cover the cost of moving it across town. Double basses can qualify too.
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An F1 driver may need to bring money as well as speed
An F1 team needs enormous funding, so some drivers arrive with corporate sponsors or family money to help cover the bill. A fast lap may get noticed; it…
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Jimmy John's once told sandwich makers where they couldn't work next
Its noncompete terms restricted workers from taking jobs at nearby restaurants that earned more than 10 percent of their revenue from sandwiches. New York's…
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Zippo owns a trademark on the click of its lighter
A lighter’s click can function like a logo. Zippo has a sound trademark for its distinctive metallic snap, protecting the noise its lighters make when opened.
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One song can have two different copyright owners
A composition—the melody and lyrics—is legally separate from a particular recording of it. Making a new recording creates a different master, which is why…
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Why a gallery's red dots make buyers pay attention
A red dot usually marks a work as sold. For visitors, it also provides a visible clue that another buyer valued the artist enough to pay. Even after one…
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Stubborn homeowners stall massive building projects for years
A developer may assemble land for a huge project and still have to design around one owner who will not sell. Sometimes the finished shopping center wraps…
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How an HOA can put your home at risk
An unpaid HOA fine can follow a homeowner beyond reminder letters: the association may place a lien on the house and, in some cases, pursue foreclosure. The…
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An NFL contract's headline value is not the same as guaranteed pay
A deal can include money protected against different risks: injury, loss of playing ability, or a salary-cap cut. Some amounts are fully guaranteed, others…
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Why touring bands lose up to 30% of merch sales
The venue can claim up to 30% of a touring band’s merch sales—not for printing the shirts, but for the right to sell them inside the venue.
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An SAT bill can grow beyond the price of sitting the exam
The College Board lists additional charges for services such as late registration and changing a test center, alongside fee waivers for eligible students. The…
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Velcro made a music video to save its name
Velcro’s lawyers worried that if everyone used the brand name for any hook-and-loop fastener, the trademark could be at risk. Their response was a music video…
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How record labels take a cut of an artist's whole career
An artist can make money from a tour, a T-shirt or an acting job—and a 360 deal may give the record label a cut of all three, not just album sales.
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The ground beneath your house may belong to someone else
Someone can buy a house, then discover that a company owns the minerals under the yard. Surface rights and mineral rights can be sold separately, splitting…
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College mascots are protected by fierce trademark laws
A university logo can bring in millions through licensed merchandise. Trademark rules let schools restrict sellers who want to put their mascots or logos on…
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The Ikea bookshelf that tracks the global economy
Bloomberg compares the price of the same Billy bookcase in different countries. Because IKEA sells a standardized model around the world, the price…
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Spending $1 million every day would take 274 years to burn $100 billion
At that pace, a year uses about $365 million. Divide a fixed $100 billion fortune by the daily spending and it lasts 100,000 days, before considering…
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A gallon price makes scorpion venom look absurdly valuable
Venom is collected in tiny quantities and sold for specialized research, so multiplying a small-sample price into a whole gallon produces a spectacular…
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The bank that has survived since 1472
Monte dei Paschi di Siena began in 1472 making charitable loans to poor people in Italy. Centuries later, it is still open—but as a commercial bank.
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