Created to help the world's couch potatoes turn the tube on and off without having to make the arduous 2-meter journey to the TV set, the standby feature has spread to virtually every appliance in the home and office.

WSJ: Switching Off Standby Mode

In Cutervo, the centre of a big potato-growing region in the northern highlands, farmers have yet to find a way to turn potatoes into prosperity.

ECONOMIST: Making the most of potato patrimony