Every so often, it’s good to give the mind a break from the heavy stuff and wander into lighter territory. This Friday feels like a good time for that. A few curiosities worth mulling over to wrap up the work week.

The Penny

According to the Associated Press, banks and retailers across the U.S. are running short on pennies after the U.S. Mint stopped making them. The reason? Each one costs more than a cent to produce. So now, with no new supply entering circulation, stores are scrambling — rounding prices, offering “exact change only,” or skipping change altogether.

Pennies are still legal tender, but this no-plan rollout has created a mess. Some states even ban rounding up to the nearest nickel because it violates pricing-equality laws between cash and card customers. Once again, a gov

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