Blood diamonds, stolen cars, sweatshops: Blockchain stops all that

The technology is poised to change how many companies operate.

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  • Blockchain technology, as a digital ledger for economic transactions, is poised to "radically" impact companies across the board.
  • It may help reinforce the trust in certain markets as sensors collect data throughout production.
  • Blockchain might also create a marketplace for whistleblowing.
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Income equality is getting worse. Can the co-op model solve this problem?

Co-ops are more pervasive than you think. They just suffer from a marketing problem.

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  • The cooperative model accounts for $154B every year in America.
  • America leads the world with cooperatives, with over 30,000 businesses operating under this model.
  • Co-op advocate Nathan Schneider believes this model can help level the economic playing field.
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Japan finds a huge cache of scarce rare-earth minerals

Japan looks to replace China as the primary source of critical metals

Rare-earth magnets (nikkytok/Shutterstock)
  • Enough rare earth minerals have been found off Japan to last centuries
  • Rare earths are important materials for green technology, as well as medicine and manufacturing
  • Where would we be without all of our rare-earth magnets?
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Mercantilism: The theory that explains Trump’s trade war

Mercantilism, the oldest thing in economics, is back in a big way.

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  • The use of tariffs by the Trump administration has confused more than a few leading economists.
  • The policy and the motivations behind them do reflect an economic theory with a long tradition: mercantilism.
  • Understanding mercantilism can help us understand why there is a call for more tariffs, and what might happen to the economy as a result of them.
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5 of the worst inventions in modern history

Be glad your name isn't attached to any of these bad ideas.

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  • Some inventions can be celebrated during their time, but are proven to be devastating in the long run.
  • The inventions doesn't have to be physical. Complex mathematical creations that create money for Wall Street can do as much damage, in theory, as a gas that destroys the ozone layer.
  • Inventors can even see their creations be used for purposes far different than they had intended.
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