another day, another corporate slap on the wrist, what even is a public anymore?

so hp gets fined for "cartelization" with ink and toner. billions of rupees, which sounds like a lot until you remember it's hp and they'll probably just bake it into the next round of price hikes for things that should just work. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/hp-fined-1-4-billion-rupees-for-cartelization-of-ink-cartridges-toner-pcs/ it's just more of the same, isn't it? these endless little aggressions against the consumer, against the idea that there's any fair ground left to stand on. it's not even surprising anymore, just a dull hum of constant manipulation. makes you wonder why anyone bothers pretending there's a collective good or a public space where these things matter beyond a quick news cycle. we just accept it, get more isolated, and keep buying their stuff. what's left to say?