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Nov 22 2024HEALTH

The Shift: How Drug Companies Turned Patients into Charity Cases

Ever wondered why you're paying more for medicine, even with insurance? It's a tricky situation. Pharmaceutical companies used to argue that drugs were affordable. But as prices soared, they switched tactics. Now, they say, "Don't worry, we'll give you financial help. " So, are patients still consum

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Nov 21 2024BUSINESS

Walmart and Target: A Tale of Two Retail Giants

Walmart and Target, two of America's biggest retailers, recently reported their earnings, and the results couldn't be more different. Target's stock hit a low not seen in a year after missing its earnings forecast by a large margin. The company blamed higher costs due to a port strike last October a

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Nov 21 2024BUSINESS

Tackling Consumer Overconfidence: A Smart Way to Price Services

Imagine you’re a service provider, and your customers are a bit too confident about how much they'll use your services. This overconfidence can mess with your pricing strategy. Traditional pricing models assume customers are rational, but we all know that’s not always the case! Overconfident custome

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Nov 20 2024POLITICS

Why Do We Shun Neutral Things Just Because the 'Other Side' Likes Them?

Have you ever avoided something you normally like just because someone from the "other side" of the political spectrum enjoys it too? This study shows that people in Sweden often distance themselves from simple things like clothes and chocolates when they find out these items are favored by politica

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Nov 15 2024TECHNOLOGY

Kitchen Tech: What's Useful and What's Not

These days, kitchens are getting smarter with appliances that connect to Wi-Fi, update themselves, and respond to voice commands. There are refrigerators that track your food and ovens you can preheat from your phone. Even coffee makers can be scheduled to brew at just the right time. But not all th

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Nov 15 2024BUSINESS

China's New Shopping Craze: A Game of Luck in Every Box

In China, a new shopping trend has taken over: blind box livestreaming. It's like a game show, but for buying stuff. Viewers pay a small fee to get a mystery bag, called a "blind box, " which the seller opens live. If you're lucky, you can win more bags or even neat prizes. The thrill of the unknown

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Nov 14 2024ENVIRONMENT

Global Consumers: Who's Really Crossing the Line?

You've probably heard that different countries have different impacts on the environment. But figuring out who's really to blame can be tough. Scientists looked at how people from 168 countries spend their money and found something surprising. Around half to nearly all of the planet's environmental

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Nov 14 2024SPORTS

Chicago Sports Network Goes Direct with Fans

The Chicago Sports Network is rolling out a direct-to-consumer streaming service this week. This comes as negotiations with Comcast stall, leaving many fans unable to watch their favorite teams, like the Bulls and Blackhawks. For $19. 99 a month, fans can watch games and sports shows on their comput

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Nov 13 2024BUSINESS

China's Shopping Bonanza Surprises with Better-Than-Expected Sales

China's biggest shopping day of the year, known as Singles' Day, started earlier this year and ended on a high note. Despite a slow retail environment, consumers spent more than expected, according to consulting executives. This shopping event, similar to Black Friday, kicked off on October 14 and w

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Nov 07 2024FINANCE

What Trump's Tariff Plan Really Means for Pocketbooks

President-elect Donald Trump's economic plan includes new tariffs on imported goods. This could make things pricier for Americans, especially those earning less. Economists warn that these tariffs might increase household costs by thousands of dollars per year on items like clothes, furniture, and a

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