Sep 19, 2026
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11 min read
A tiny metal cup, a locked system, and one of the most profitable cups of coffee ever sold.
The man who invented the K-Cup says he regrets it. The patent expiry is the real story.
10 min read
The famous story about giving razors away is mostly false. The real one is better.
A pack of gum in Ohio started it. Nobody owns the patent and everybody uses it.
Shoppers hated it at first. Then it changed how much every American buys.
No, it does not store your credit card. What it does store is stranger than that.
The penny costs more than a penny. It survives anyway, and the reason is not sentiment.
It was the safest asset in New York. Then a rule changed and it went to nearly nothing.
The paper is nearly free. What it protects is worth a great deal more.
