I wouldn't say that.  I still like Wendy's.  I ate there yesterday, in fact.  It costs more than it used to but it's not outrageous.  And the food is still good.

Perhaps its regional then.   Here its dismal ( and many have closed up )

Mon Jul 13 2026 10:50:31 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar Subject: Re: Are they stupid or just deceptive?

I wouldn't say that.  I still like Wendy's.  I ate there yesterday, in fact.  It costs more than it used to but it's not outrageous.  And the food is still good.

If this does not exemplify the general state of the economy, and the horrific effects of the current data-center boom on silicon components, i dont know what else will. Its just a phone, not a car..

"Apple Upgrade Program Will Let You Lease an iPhone Without Sticker Shock"

Stop thinking rationally..   lol 

Tho, to be fair, those are going up too, due to the silicon being eaten by the data centers. 

Wed Jul 29 2026 11:01:09 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar

Or you could just not buy a high priced phone. I just got a new one yesterday, it was a mid range model and I paid $300

And, prices go up even more. Forgetting solar panels, this will effect the silicon in most everything today since everything has to be 'smart', according to the corporates, 'just because it can'

"new 15% tariff on key material for solar panels and microchips"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/07/trump-orders-tariff-solar-panels-microchips-manufacturing-ingredient

Didn't read the entire thing since it pissed me off, but apparently around here power company bought laws a decade ago to force you to sell back solar power to them for like $0.035/kWh  so they can sell it back to your neighbors for 0.15/kWh.

Guess what, i refuse.  ( and one reasons my panels are not out in the open on my house roof.  its my stuff, its none of their business )

That's easy to get around, just don't bother.  You can configure your system to not export surplus power to the grid.  Besides, the current hotness is to store the surplus in an on-site battery so you can consume it later.

In some areas, they look for solar panels and fine you if you are not giving back or in some cases have them at all....  Not here, yet, but it does happen.

And ya, mine is either battery or direct. If i ever run on local power the breaker is cut off. Nothing will feedback. ( both due to spite and safety since often times the power is out, and i don't want to shock any of the crews by accident )  Perhaps when i move back out into the sticks, ill switch over to all solar/battery and use 'main lines' as the backup, instead of the reverse. If i get lucky, will have a stream and can toss a couple of Tesla turbine based generators in it too...

Fri Aug 07 2026 09:46:52 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar

That's easy to get around, just don't bother.  You can configure your system to not export surplus power to the grid.  Besides, the current hotness is to store the surplus in an on-site battery so you can consume it later.

Actually, one big problem with grid tie inverters is that if the grid is not supplying power, they don't invert at all.  It is a necessary part of the design, to prevent backfeeding and/or islanding.

Some people go crazy and install both tied and non-tied inverters, with the non-tied inverters isolated from the mains with an interlock.  Those are the ones who are really into it, who have all sorts of switches and cables and a room or shed full of batteries and spend ten times what a generator would have cost.

Yes, but in the case of a true hard-core grid failure. Natural gas will fade and you cant get "petrol" either. Fuel stations will be down without power ( been there.. nothing local had power for days after the tornado ).  And after a bit, propane will vanish as everyone will grab it and no way to replenish.  Not everyone has a stream to shove something in to create power..      The one consolation is with solar as plan C you only rely on the sun.

its why some of us, do both, within reason ( and why i setup my generator so it can easily use all 3 kinds of fuel ).    For us generator is the short term easy route, but if its extended when all fuel supply fails, we have the panels to fall back on.  

Mon Aug 17 2026 09:23:37 EDT from IGnatius T Foobar

 ten times what a generator would have cost.

lol hell of a way to spin it. "They spent a little more per sale" no kidding, prices are up so of course they spent a little more. Idiots

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/home-depot-sales-small-projects-housing-costs

News blurb:

"National debt has exceeded 40 Trillion ( with a T! ). Will this be a wake up call?"

No, Politicians ( especially in DC ) don't care. Even if it all collapses, they are exempt from its effects.  Debt will be 80 T in 5 years at the rate we are going.  Its growing exponentially.  

sigh.

"Samsung increased pricing on new 4nm, 5nm, and 8nm foundry orders by up to 15%, reports Reuters. Its Pyeongtaek 4nm line is reportedly running at full capacity. SMIC also raised prices per last week’s earnings call."

By 2028, none of us little people will be able to get, or afford, hardware. 

Its trickling down into other areas too, i agree. Home appliances, automotive.

Of course in a way its our fault as a society for allowing them to 'digitize' things that did not need to be, and had no business being..  Other than them planning ahead for control over us.        The unwashed masses shoudl have stood up and said no. But they are stupid. 

Tue Aug 25 2026 14:29:06 EDT from darknetuser

2026-07-29 11:01 from IGnatius T Foobar
Or you could just not buy a high priced phone. I just got a new one
yesterday, it was a mid range model and I paid $300

It is a problem for other segments out of the phone market.
Even game consoles are getting very badly impacted, to the point Sony has stated the next console generation won't be sustainable. Rumor is they will try leasing programs too in order not to lose the whole house.
Even budget crap consoles are impacted. The difference is a budget crap console that used to cost 40 bucks is still affordable if it increases 50% in price.

Not getting into the right/wrong or anything. Just going off what is going on. Looks like the administration is going to draw a line, "if you do business with Iran ( or others that do i assume.. ) then you don't do business with us"

Most of the countries are getting really tired of the US at this point ( and many say it out loud. ), what happens if the rest of the planet just flips us the bird and stops dealing with us?  I don't see how we can survive.  Like it or not, we all live on this same rock and we have to get along. This isn't some 2000 years ago when for the most part it was a bunch of independent entities minding their own business. Unless you are a small blip, which for the most part does not exist now other than a few super rare exceptions, we are intertwined beyond recovery.

Do we collapse, then get calmly taken over? Do we force interaction via world war and imperialism? Do we flip flop before its to late? Or do we flip flop after its too late and we only delay the collapse then its back to A or B?

More semiconductor tariffs coming. Think prices are bad now ( well, they are ) just wait.. Between more of the freaking data-center nonsense and now a 2nd round of this. ( and perhaps, a total ban on Chinese imports that i suspect is coming before the holidays )   better be happy with what you got now, as you wont be getting anything new.  Even if you have the money, there wont be anything to buy, at a consumer level. 

The used market will skyrocket too. 

if you live in NYC. Move. Now.

"Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants the first city-owned store open in the Bronx by 2027 with subsidized prices on staples"

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/649-years-ago-prominent-muslim-scholar-warned-us-mayor-mamdani