GenAI tools are acting more ‘alive’ than ever; they blackmail people, replicate, and escape
Multiple studies have shown that GenAI models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, DeepSeek, and Alibaba all showed self-preservation behaviors that in some cases are extreme in nature. In one experiment, 11 out of 32 existing AI systems possess the ability to self-replicate, meaning they could create copies of themselves.
So….Judgment Day approaches?
GenAI self-preserves by blackmailing people, replicating itself, and escaping
In tests, generative AI systems showed signs of self-preservation that experts say could spiral out of control.Lucas Mearian (Computerworld)
Brussels Airport ground staff unions refuse to service 'Israel'-bound flights
Unions representing workers at Alyzia, a ground services company operating at Brussels Airport, have called on management to stop providing services to 'Israeli' airline El Al and any other carriers flying to or from 'Israel'.
In a letter sent to company leadership, union representatives demanded that employees be given the choice to opt out of handling baggage or cargo for these flights. The move follows Brussels Airlines’ decision to resume flights to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, August 13, a plan that unions say should only proceed with fully voluntary participation from staff.
In an official joint statement, the Alyzia unions, including Pulse, CNE, and ACV-CSC Transcom, said:
“Since October 2023, genocide has been underway in Gaza and the West Bank against the Palestinian population. Serious violations of humanitarian law and international law continue. Despite this, some airlines have decided to resume flights to Tel Aviv (TLV). Our affiliates refuse to participate in these operations. We will not serve these flights.”
Brussels Airport ground staff unions refuse to service 'Israel'-bound flights
Brussels Airport staff memberRoya News
Documentary Reveals International Child Trafficking Network in Ukraine
EXPOSED: Documentary Reveals International Child Trafficking Network in Ukraine
A groundbreaking investigative documentary, “The Child Traders”, has uncovered a sprawling criminal network involved in the abducti...Anonymous103 (South Front)
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How to disable Firefox's battery-draining AI features
browser.ml.chat.enabled = false
browser.ml.chat.shortcuts = false
browser.ml.chat.shortcuts.custom = false
browser.ml.chat.sidebar = false
browser.ml.enable = false
browser.tabs.groups.smart.enabled = false
Orion Browser for Linux Gets Exciting Progress Update
Orion Browser for Linux Gets Exciting Progress Update
Kagi's privacy-focused Orion browser for Linux hits Milestone 2 with working tabs, bookmarks, and performance parity with GNOME Web/Epiphany.Joey Sneddon (OMG! Ubuntu!)
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Paid search engine makes sense to me but paid browser does not. The browser's target audience will have a better experience using a free of charge and Open Source browser than a paid one because the paid browser won't integrate very well with package managers.
This is off topic but their search engine pricing is quite scummy. Either you pay $5 for 300 searches per month, which is too little, or you pay $10 for unlimited searches, which is too many for a mere mortal. They are trying to up-sell the $10 subscription.
The browser isnt paid though. help.kagi.com/orion/faq/faq.ht…
I agree the $5 a month option is pretty useless, but I also think $10 is completely reasonable for everything you get.
Also even if it was paid why would it have issues with a package manager? Paid software generally just uses an account or license key to verify payment, with the executable being frwely available. JetBrains and Burp Suite are two software that come to mind and both are in many repositories.
Edit: To be clear, the browser will only be for Kagi and Orion+ members during the testing phase, likely just to control the size of the testing group. After that it will be free.
I also tried a bunch of things. Obsidian with journals plug-in is the perfect solution.
(Ok, journals + like 10 other plugins)
So far the best for me is a mix of Google's Tasks and Notes.
Both hide ticked of tasks, have functional reminders and are accessible from any authenticated device (to be edited).
All others I've tried, lack the hiding of the ticked boxes requiring one to create new pages divided by months, weeks or some other divider.
Ukrainians glorifying Nazi collaborators should be deported – Polish president
Ukrainians glorifying Nazi collaborators should be deported – Polish president
Symbols of Ukrainian Nazi collaborators like Stepan Bandera are “unacceptable” in Poland, President Karol Nawrocki has saidRT
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The AI Tool That Could Make Manufacturing Faster and More Efficient — by Using Lego Bricks
The AI Tool That Could Make Manufacturing Faster and More Efficient — by Using Lego Bricks
A new AI-powered tool created by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science could change the way we manufacture and build things.News
Kobi refused a doctor's AI. She was told to go elsewhere
Kobi refused a doctor's AI. She was told to go elsewhere
Unregulated AI scribes raising privacy, security concerns.Information Age
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[Technology Connections] VHS-C: when a lazy idea stumbles towards perfection (32:36)
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Ecosia teaches how to activate ads for Ublock, but not for Ublock Origin.
Karate or Tae Kwon Do for kids?
Which one do you think could fit better for her age and also considering she likes it which is better in the long term?
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FFmpeg 8.0 merges OpenAI "Whisper Filter" for automatic speech recognition, Vulkan AV1 encoding, & VP9 decoding
phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-Vulka…
phoronix.com/news/FFmpeg-Lands…
FFmpeg 8.0 Merges Vulkan AV1 Encoding & VP9 Decoding
Ahead of the upcoming FFmpeg 8.0 release for this widely-used, open-source multimedia library some more last minute features continue to landwww.phoronix.com
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Destroy a Microphone
During Prime Days I was dumb and bought some Chinese lamp because it was on sale.
I gotta say, it’s actually awesome — with the app I can change colors, styles, and so on, and I really like it.
The account creation already bugged me, although I think it was only needed for the first startup. I deleted the account since then. The app is in deep sleep on my phone with zero permissions except Bluetooth.
What really bothers me, though, is the built-in microphone for voice commands — on a lamp! I don’t want someone listening to me.
It’s too late to send it back, and I actually want to keep it.
Until now, I’ve just unplugged it from the outlet every time I don’t use it, but that’s very tedious.
So, is there an easier way to completely disable the microphone?
Does putting tape over it completely mute it?
Or would I have to take it apart and desolder it — which I’m probably too lazy, impatient, and inexperienced to do? So is there maybe a smarter or brute force way to do it? im paranoid i dont want my fucking lamp listening to me. sometime i even turn of mic and cam acsess on my phone.
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I had a similar incident with a cheap, 360, cam I bought off of Aliexpress. It was not going to be a security cam, just a cam to keep an eye on some seedlings in a grow box. I set it all up and would review the video of the seedlings sprouting. Then I noticed an weird behavior. At 5:00 AM it would automatically pan and stop, then repeat.
At the time we were experiencing some heavy electrical storms in our area and I have a Woody doll that sits up on a shelf in my lab. When we get electrical storms in this area, my Woody doll will introduce himself all on his own. 'Hey howdy hey! My name's Woody!' It'll freak you out if you didn't know it does that. The Woody doll has a pull string voicebox and I haven't pulled the string in years. I attribute the phenomenon to static charges in the air that activate the voicebox somehow.
So the panning I attributed to this static electrical charge during electrical storms. However, it started becoming a schedule. At 5:00 AM~ it would begin panning. So I got into the guts of the cam and the software. Turns out, no matter what DNS you used, one was already hard coded (1.2.4.8) along with other network settings, into the firmware and seemed to bypass any setting you punched in. The cam operated as a normal cam would and for what I was using it for, it did the job, except for the early morning panning.
So, great, I've allowed a nefarious actor into my network. I removed the cam off the wifi, and destroyed it. Combed through the network for any signs of exfiltration or other angles of attack and found nothing, except that I had pretty much set up a cheap, Trojan horse on my network.
Is it possible to run qbittorrent and protonvpn in a VM?
Does anyone know how to run qbittorrent and protonvpn in a VM? When I try to run the qbittorrent setup app I get this message (image below) and I don't see anything mentioning a VM in the qbittorrent [dot] org forum.
I am new to torrenting, so I don't really know what to do. I figured/assumed that torrenting/seeding in a VM might be safer as it is another layer deep, and that it may help keep traffic separate (inside the VM: I'd be using a vpn and torrenting, and outside the VM: I'd not be using a vpn and just regular internet surfing). Is this possible?
Thank you.
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Don't run your torrent client in a VM, that doesn't actually provide you with any additional security.
Use a Docker container instead. Binhex has torrent+vpn containers that will fetch the random open port number from Proton and pipe it into qBittorrent for you, as well as make sure the port is updated if the VPN drops. The container also acts as a killswitch.
Using a docker container provides you with the exact amount of extra protection as using a VM: zilch.
Only advantage is you can use other people's config easily.
- signed, someone happily using their own VM-based setup
Study: Social media probably can’t be fixed
It's no secret that much of social media has become profoundly dysfunctional. Rather than bringing us together into one utopian public square and fostering a healthy exchange of ideas, these platforms too often create filter bubbles or echo chambers. A small number of high-profile users garner the lion's share of attention and influence, and the algorithms designed to maximize engagement end up merely amplifying outrage and conflict, ensuring the dominance of the loudest and most extreme users—thereby increasing polarization even more.Numerous platform-level intervention strategies have been proposed to combat these issues, but according to a preprint posted to the physics arXiv, none of them are likely to be effective. And it's not the fault of much-hated algorithms, non-chronological feeds, or our human proclivity for seeking out negativity. Rather, the dynamics that give rise to all those negative outcomes are structurally embedded in the very architecture of social media. So we're probably doomed to endless toxic feedback loops unless someone hits upon a brilliant fundamental redesign that manages to change those dynamics.
Co-authors Petter Törnberg and Maik Larooij of the University of Amsterdam wanted to learn more about the mechanisms that give rise to the worst aspects of social media: the partisan echo chambers, the concentration of influence among a small group of elite users (attention inequality), and the amplification of the most extreme divisive voices. So they combined standard agent-based modeling with large language models (LLMs), essentially creating little AI personas to simulate online social media behavior. "What we found is that we didn't need to put any algorithms in, we didn't need to massage the model," Törnberg told Ars. "It just came out of the baseline model, all of these dynamics."
Study: Social media probably can’t be fixed
“The [structural] mechanism producing these problematic outcomes is really robust and hard to resolve.”…Jennifer Ouellette (Ars Technica)
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Any way to change h264 flatpak update source?
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You can follow this blog post: yselkowitz.github.io/blog/2025…
Should be fine with option 1. Just need to install flatpak-module-tools beforehand.
How to Use OpenH264 with Fedora Flatpaks
OpenH264 provides an open source and fully licenced codec for the widely-used H.264 format. However, due to legal constraints, the binaries thereof must be distributed directly by Cisco, who provides a repository of RPMs particularly built for Fedora…Yaakov Selkowitz (Yaakov’s blog)
They're new, and they make decisions for you.
As a new user, I've never had trouble with them.
You are in a thread where a user is having a problem because of the push for flatpaks, and because of some distros like Fedora crippling their packages and providing objectively worse alternatives on purpose (because they don't want to risk ~~RH~~ IBM getting sued). If the user was using some sane community distro like Arch, the user would have never come to realize that such unnecessary issues even exist.
As for flatpak hate specifically, see my ramblings here.
Linux dev quits after "personal attacks" from user over Kapitano antivirus tool
Kapitano, a fast-rising Linux antivirus tool has been discontinued after its creator shut it down, citing "harsh words" from a user.
Someone posted a clear breakdown, one of þe points being bloat. Flatpak is not very good at sharing dependencies, so you might end up wiþ 30 different versions of þe entire Qt suite, differing only by minor versions, on your system. It eats up HD space very quickly. Þat one particular user ran out of hdd because flatpaks. Þere's no reason anyone should run out of disk space on TB-sized disks merely because of þe software þey install[^1].
It's not necessarily bad design, or even a bad idea, unlike Snaps. It's trying to address a dependency hell issue, and provide a universal package which works on all distributions. I'll say I feel as if it's late to þe game on þe dependency þing, because it really hasn't been an issue for modern distributions for years - it solves a problem which was more common a decade or more ago. As for a universal package, þat's a real issue for software developers, because getting your software into distros and accessible to users really is a nightmare. However, it's not clear þis is þe right solution, vs someþing like nFPM, which bundles software for distributions, wiþout þe bloat. Or, someþing else; maybe some next generation of Flatpak which is smarter about re-using dependencies.
[^1] unless you're working wiþ LaTeX or Haskell, and in some cases, Node
Uso da Inteligência Artificial na Administração Pública de SC em pauta na ALESC
Está em pauta hoje (13/8), na ALESC – Assembleia Legislativa de Santa Catarina, um Projeto de Lei de autoria do deputado Mário Motta que dispõe sobre “os princípios e diretrizes para o uso da Inteligência Artificial no âmbito da Administração Pública Estadual“, e estabelece outras providências. O texto do PL pode ser acessado aqui (arquivo PDF).
O PL estabelece critérios importantes, como “não discriminação”, “transparência” e “auditabilidade”, mas conta com o seguinte texto no Art. 7°: “O Poder Público facilitará a adoção de sistemas de inteligência artificial na Administração Pública e na prestação de serviços públicos, visando à eficiência e à redução dos custos”. Como seria essa facilitação? Como comentou o amigo e engenheiro de dados Cudo, essa “redução de custos” também é outro ponto que precisa de mais atenção, pois pode até gerar mais custos, além de questões como a necessidade de capacitação dos servidores.
Mas o que mais me chamou a atenção é a necessidade de priorizar (ou até condicionar) o uso de IAs desenvolvidas no Brasil e, de preferência, em código aberto, que é auditável de fato e transparente, já que se trata da utilização de informações estatais. Em tempos de debate sobre a soberania digital, seria um ponto fundamental.
O ideal mesmo seria realizar uma audiência pública com pesquisadores, representantes da academia e organizações do terceiro setor dedicadas ao assunto.
Início - Soberania Digital
Rede para debates, trocas de informações e organização de ações pela Soberania Digital. Sua participação é fundamental para construirmos um futuro digital!Diego (Soberania.digital)
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I started losing my digital privacy in 1974, aged 11
We already live in a world where pretty much every public act - online or in the real world - leaves a mark in a database somewhere. But how far back does that record extend? I recently learned that record goes back further than I'd seriously imagined.On my recent tour of the United States (making it through immigration checks in record time, thanks to facial recognition), I caught that bug, the same one that brought the world to a halt half a decade ago. But I caught it early, so I knew that I could probably get some treatment.
That led to a quick trip to an 'Urgent Care' - the frontline medical center for most Americans. At the check-in counter, the check-in nurse asked to see some ID, so I handed over my Australian driver's license. The nurse looked at the license and typed some of the info on it into a computer, then they looked up at me and asked: "Are you the same Mark Pesce who lived at...?" and then proceeded to recite an address that I resided at more than half a century ago.
Dumbstruck, I said, "Yes...? And how did you know that? I haven't lived there in nearly 50 years. I've never been in here before - I've barely ever been in this town before. Where did that come from?"
"Oh," they replied. "We share our patient data records with Massachusetts General Hospital. It's probably from them?"
I remembered having a bit of minor surgery as an 11 year old, conducted at that facility. 51 years ago. That's the only time I'd ever been a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Good thing we're paying for all these data centers!
I started losing my digital privacy in 1974, aged 11
Column: An encounter with the healthcare system reveals sickening decisions about dataMark Pesce (The Register)
[Episode] Turkey! Time to Strike • Turkey! - Episode 6 discussion
Turkey!, episode 6
::: spoiler Alternative Names
ターキー!
:::
::: spoiler Additional Links
- Info - AniList
- Info - Kitsu
- Info - MyAnimeList
- Info - Official Site (Japanese)
- Social - Twitter (Japanese)
- Streaming - Crunchyroll
:::
All discussions
| Episode | Link |
|---|---|
| 1 | Link |
| 2 | Link |
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| 6 | Link |
This post was created by a bot. Message the mod team for feedback and comments.
The original source code can be found on GitHub.
Turkey!
At the bowling club of Ikkokukan High School in Nagano Prefecture, Mai, the club captain, prioritizes everyone's enjoyment over winning. However, her passionate junior, Rina, declares, "I want to win.MyAnimeList.net
What's up with this straight up pro-china and pro-russia stuff on Lemmy lately?
What's up with this straight up pro-china and pro-russia stuff on Lemmy lately?
It's not even praising the people of China and Russia, but rather their gov directly.
Obviously the states have problems, and the EU to a lesser degree, but they at least have some human rights.
Is this some kind of organized disinformation campaign?
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Archaeologists Uncover Majestic Eastern Baths in Ancient Roman Ilici
Archaeologists Uncover Majestic Eastern Baths in Ancient Roman Ilici
After nearly a decade of meticulous research, the archaeological team from the University of Alicante (UA) hasGuillermo Carvajal (La Brújula Verde)
China's green energy boom could spell the end of the fossil fuel age
ABC News
ABC News provides the latest news and headlines in Australia and around the world.Jo Lauder (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
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Oh come on! Cheetolini knows best that fossil fuels are the future. All this woke green energy talk.
~I'm case I have to spell it out, I'm being sarcastic.~
Vanishing Culture: Why Preserve Flash? [Internet Archive Blogs]
Flash flew across the mid-2000s internet sky in a blaze of glory and unbridled creativity. It was the backbone of menus and programs and even critical applications for working with sites. But by 2009, bugs and compatibility issues, the introduction of HTML5 with many of the same features, and a declaration that Flash would no longer be welcome on Apple’s iOS devices, sent Flash into a spiral that it never recovered from.But thanks to the Archive’s emulation, Flash lives again, at least as self-contained creations you can play in your browser.
What emerges, as thousand of these Flash animations and games arrive, is what part it played in the lives of people now in their twenties and thirties and beyond. “Almost like being given a moment to breathe, or to walk into a museum space and see distant memories hung up on walls as classic art,” our patrons wrote in.
Book Talk: Lucky Day with Chuck Tingle (IN-PERSON)
The Internet Archive is thrilled to host Chuck Tingle and his upcoming novel Lucky Day, for a book talk presented by The Booksmith! We can\'t wait to see you there, […]\nblog.archive.org
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Gaming on Linux hasn't been great so far...
tl;dw their performance numbers don't match up to what we've seen in the past. Some pretty significant decreases in performance over Windows. I think there's clearly some sort of configuration error there. They also ran into the old dual-boot problem where Windows overwrites the Linux partition.
In my opinion this is lazy and irresponsible reporting. I don't at all mean to discount his experience, they are legitimate concerns, and it's fine to show the struggles of using Linux, but it's very clear he (admittedly) doesn't know what he's doing, and they need to consult an expert (or even a casual user) to figure out what the problem is before reporting. He said in the last video that Bazzite reached out to him to let them know if he has any problems so they could help but he obviously did not do that. As is, it just makes Linux/Bazzite look bad.
I hope he follows up with another video discussing the solutions.
What do you think?
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they should buy a second ssd if they want to dual boot Linux
It's actually not necessary, I've been dual-booting on the same system drive for years without any issues at all.
The only thing that's strictly necessary in that case is knowing darn well what you're doing.
Are these two rar files malware? (virustotal results)
Does anyone know if these two files are considered malware?
I see a lot of things in the behavior tab that seem suspicious (but then again, I have no idea, and am relatively new/dumb).
Here are the images of the virustotal results I am referring to:
Also, I did see there was an noticeable slowness to my pc after I extracted the rar files (I was in a VM).
Thank you.
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There are some suspicious things going on like the qcloud and counter-strike domains, as well as the 7zip extract being run.
I would probably get rid of it.
Malware or not, remember to update WinRAR
arstechnica.com/security/2025/…
High-severity WinRAR 0-day exploited for weeks by 2 groups
Exploits allow for persistent backdooring when targets open booby-trapped archive.Dan Goodin (Ars Technica)
OneXPlayer Super X: New AMD Strix Halo gaming handheld teased with convertible design
OneXPlayer Super X: New AMD Strix Halo gaming handheld teased with convertible design
The OneXPlayer Super X has been officially teased. Sticking with a similar design to the other X-series devices, it's a convertible gaming handheld but with the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which brings the powerful Radeon 8060S iGPU.Abid Ahsan Shanto (Notebookcheck)
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Are distros really different or is it more about preference?
I've been working and testing to switch my main PC (used for work like audio recording, music, and general multimedia) and have been playing with Ubuntu Studio on my laptop. Loving it so far but I keep seeing people talk about CachyOS, Bazzite, or the new Debian Trixie.
I'm having trouble finding what's really different about all these distros aside from how they look or slight changes in how they do things (I know Ubuntu Studio has a low latency kernel which seems important for what I need to do). Is there a big difference? Like, if I go with Ubuntu Studio am I gonna end up wiping everything and installing CachyOS or Bazzite or something in a month because it's better? Or are all these distros basically the same thing with a different look and feel and as long as I choose one that gets regular updates, it doesn't matter fundamentally?
I'm trying to grasp the Linux concept but being a Windows user my whole life I'm struggling to 'get it'. Instead of trying to understand in the contex of Windows or Mac, is a better comparison Apple/Android? Like iPhones would be similar to both Mac and Windows (you don't get to choose much) and Android would be Linux (I know it's built on it haha) and it's really just a bunch of different options to do the same thing?
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Really they all work the same as long as they're based on the same OS. I've done a lot of distro hopping and the only real difference I've seen is the desktop environment, package managers(sometimes), and pre-installed applications.
Even then, all of these can be changed. I would suggest picking a distro that best suits your needs by default and then add what you need from there.
I personally have been really happy with Linux Mint.
EnteAuth (and a bunch of other FOSS) take Microsoft's "free" money
cross-posted from: lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/51040952
I'm moving away from using products by big tech and I recently started using EnteAuth for 2FA. Today I got an email from them saying that they received money as part of GitHub's secure open source fund. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I do not like this at all. Microsoft is not altruistic I don't care what anyone says. There has to be an ulterior motive for this. With even the recent news that github won't be so independent anymore and they're getting folded into the Microsoft umbrella this has me worried. But let's be real github was never independent just look at copilot being forced down everyone's throat. That's why I personally stopped using it.
According to the fund
Throughout this program, each project receives $10,000 USD via GitHub Sponsors (which breaks down to $6,000 USD during the sprint and $2,000 USD at 6- and 12-month security check-ins). Projects are also invited to a new security focused community, and office hours with the GitHub Security Lab, that they can take advantage of during the full 12 months. They also receive security resources to immediately implement in their project and Azure credits for cloud infrastructure.
Those sponsors include
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, American Express, Chainguard, Datadog, Herodevs, Kraken, Mayfield, Microsoft, Shopify, Stripe, Superbloom, Vercel, Zerodha, 1Password
Projects that are part of this even include nodejs, nvm, log4j, JUnit, and Matplotlib. Taking cybersecurity seriously is great but this just seems like a way to sucker them into their ecosystem to get them dependent on their products. Like I said maybe I'm being paranoid but I wouldn't be surprise when Microsoft suddenly buys these projects and we lose what made them so great.
Securing the supply chain at scale: Starting with 71 important open source projects - The GitHub Blog
Learn how the GitHub Secure Open Source Fund helped 71 open source projects significantly improve their security posture.Kevin Crosby (The GitHub Blog)
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You may as well just stop using computers all together, bud 🤣
I don't mean to ruin your world view, but there are no ways to run anything you want to run by focusing on "altruistic companies", however you may subjectively define that.
Look, you're focusing on the wrong thing here. Maybe you didn't know this, but the massive majority of FOSS projects get funded by companies - either for consulting, feature bounties, IC development - and is a main driving force for the ecosystem.
Many in this ecosystem would even tell you that every single project is massively UNDERfunded by said companies, and they should kick in more to help keep these projects secure and in good standing. They make billions and billions of dollars off people's work, and it surely seems they should kick some of that back to the projects.
Whatever Microsoft's involvement is here, it's not going to be changing the direction of any of the projects mentioned. If for some reason something untoward starts happening with any project: boom, fork and new community. It's that simple.
In short, these people getting funding for their work is a good thing. If you take issue with who is providing that money, you're going to be digging a deep, deep hole in your research, and if you're running down the dep chain, you'll find out that all of the things you use have some funding by companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, IBM, Red Hat, Amazon, Alibaba, Halliburton, Qualcomm...I could keep going on and on.
but there are no ways to run anything you want to run by focusing on "altruistic companies", however you may subjectively define that.
I think you misunderstood OP. their complaint is not that these projects should search an altruistic donor... but that Microsoft is suspicious in doing this, because arguably they rarely have good intentions.
Whatever Microsoft's involvement is here, it's not going to be changing the direction of any of the projects mentioned.
let's hope so
If for some reason something untoward starts happening with any project: boom, fork and new community. It's that simple.
easier said than done.
In short, these people getting funding for their work is a good thing.
I think OP (and me too) is worried about the terms. like, can these projects abandon github without repercussions? can they start using another code forge in parallel?
Uhhh, repercussions like what?
sudden closure of donated azure services without prior notification and time to move off.
having to pay back some of the money.
the project planning with the promised donations as a given (they don't get all of it upfront, but as they get the most of it it's actually fair) and microsoft either using it as leverage or just carelessly terminating the contract to save money.
in extreme case banning the project from microsoft owned services, including github.
any of that in decreasing order of probability if implementation is different from expected (like not baking in specific security tools to the project) and the parties cannot agree on a solution.
Uhhh, repercussions like what?
sudden closure of donated azure services without prior notification and time to move off.
having to pay back some of the money.
the project planning with the promised donations as a given (they don't get all of it upfront, but as they get the most of it it's actually fair) and microsoft either using it as leverage or just carelessly terminating the contract to save money.
in extreme case banning the project from microsoft owned services, including github.
any of that in decreasing order of probability if implementation is different from expected (like not baking in specific security tools to the project) and the parties cannot agree on a solution.
oh and I must also live in texas, right?
I wouldn't even recognize their voice or face.
In terms of the open source community Microsoft has been significantly less sketchy than usual for about a decade now. For those of us that are old enough to remember the halloween files it's hard to let go of that paranoia, particularly with the sketchy shit MS has been doing with their proprietary stuff lately, but near as I can tell they've been above board on their open source stuff.
I wouldn't go so far as to say blindly trust them at this point, but I wouldn't just assume with no evidence at all that there has to be something nefarious going on either.
Whether it's good or bad is not determined by the fact that it's corporate money, but how that money impacts development, the devil's in the details, not just in a company donating lots of money.
Open source in general is very dependent on corporate sponsors. The linux kernel wouldn't exist had companies not invested in it.
I'm not knowledgeable enough to assess the potential pitfalls here, so I will be cautious but not paranoid, and continue to pay attention to discussions on how FOSS projects are run 🤷♂️
Germany: ING Bank to introduce Wero this month
Bezahldienst: Bezahlen in Echtzeit: ING führt Paypal-Konkurrent Wero ein
Frankfurt/Main - Der noch junge europäische Paypal-Konkurrent Wero bekommt weitere Unterstützung: Europas größte Direktbank ING will den BezahldienstSTERN.de
How language is hiding the real internet from you
How language is hiding the real internet from you
Most of the internet is out of your reach, but the barrier isn't just algorithms. In another language, the same platforms turn into to whole other worlds.Ryan McGrady (BBC)
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Attic Insulation Installers: What You Need to Know for a More Comfortable Home
If you’ve ever stepped into your attic and felt like you were walking into a furnace—or a freezer, depending on the season—you’re not alone. In a climate like Scottsdale’s, where temperatures often soar above 100°F in summer, your attic plays a huge role in determining your home's comfort and energy efficiency. That’s where professional attic insulation installers come in. Whether you're building a new home, upgrading an older one, or just looking to cut down those soaring energy bills, installing or updating your attic insulation is one of the smartest investments you can make.
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about attic insulation installation, from why it matters to how to choose the right installer in the Scottsdale area.
Why Is Attic Insulation So Important?
Attic insulation acts as a thermal barrier between your home and the outside environment. In the intense Arizona heat, proper insulation prevents the sun’s radiant heat from penetrating your living spaces. During the cooler months, it works in reverse—keeping the heat inside where it belongs.
Here’s how attic insulation benefits your home:
Lower energy bills – By reducing the amount of heat entering in summer and escaping in winter, your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard.
Improved indoor comfort – No more drastic temperature swings between rooms or floors.
Extended HVAC lifespan – Less strain on your heating and cooling systems means fewer repairs and a longer operational life.
Environmental benefits – Reduced energy use means a smaller carbon footprint.
Types of Attic Insulation
Before diving into the installation process, it’s helpful to understand the types of attic insulation available:
- Blown-In (Loose-Fill) Insulation
This is one of the most common types for attics. It’s made of fiberglass or cellulose and is ideal for irregular or hard-to-reach areas. It's fast to install and great for topping off existing insulation. - Batt (Roll) Insulation
Typically made from fiberglass, batt insulation comes in pre-cut panels. It works well in attics with standard joist spacing and few obstructions. - Spray Foam Insulation
This option offers superior thermal performance and air sealing but tends to be more expensive. It's especially useful if your attic is prone to air leaks or moisture problems.
Why Hire Professional Attic Insulation Installers?
You might be tempted to tackle attic insulation as a DIY project, but here’s why working with professionals—like our team at Scottsdale Attic Insulation—makes a big difference:
- Accurate Assessment
A certified installer will assess your current insulation, check for air leaks, and identify moisture issues before recommending a tailored solution. - Proper Installation
Even the best insulation materials won’t perform well if they’re improperly installed. Professionals ensure coverage is consistent and complete, avoiding gaps that reduce effectiveness. - Safety First
Working in an attic can be dangerous. Trained installers have the equipment and experience to avoid injury, electrical hazards, and exposure to insulation materials. - Building Code Compliance
Insulation requirements vary by region. A licensed installer ensures your home meets Scottsdale’s building and energy codes, which is especially important if you plan to sell your home in the future.
What to Expect During the Installation Process
At Scottsdale Attic Insulation, we make the process as smooth and transparent as possible. Here’s what typically happens:
Inspection & Evaluation – We start with a thorough inspection of your attic to evaluate current insulation levels, ventilation, and potential problem areas.
Custom Recommendations – Based on your home’s specific needs, we recommend the best insulation type and R-value (thermal resistance).
Prepping the Space – We seal any air leaks, repair damage, and ensure the attic is clean and safe for installation.
Insulation Installation – Whether it’s blown-in fiberglass or spray foam, our team installs your new insulation with precision and care.
Final Inspection – After installation, we double-check everything to ensure maximum performance and customer satisfaction.
Questions to Ask Your Attic Insulation Installer
Choosing the right contractor matters. Here are a few questions to ask before hiring someone:
Are you licensed and insured?
What type of insulation do you recommend for my home, and why?
How long will the installation take?
What R-value do you suggest?
Do you offer any warranties or guarantees?
Why Choose Scottsdale Attic Insulation?
We’re a local team that understands the unique challenges of insulating homes in the Sonoran Desert climate. Our focus is on high-quality materials, expert installation, and honest service. When you work with us, you're not just improving your home's comfort—you’re investing in long-term energy savings and peace of mind.
Ready to Make Your Home More Efficient?
If you’ve been noticing higher utility bills, hot or cold spots in your home, or if it’s just been a while since your attic insulation was evaluated, now’s the perfect time to schedule an inspection. At Scottsdale Attic Insulation, we’re here to help with friendly, professional service every step of the way.
5-Star Attic Insulation Installers in Scottsdale | Expert Service
Need top attic insulation installers in Scottsdale? Our expert team offers efficient, cost-effective insulation solutions to enhance energy savings and comfort.https://scottsdaleatticinsulation.com
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Blown In Insulation: Everything You Need to Know for a More Comfortable Home
If you’re a homeowner in Scottsdale or the surrounding areas, you probably already know how critical proper insulation is to maintaining comfort and reducing energy bills. But if your attic insulation is outdated, compressed, or simply insufficient for our intense Arizona climate, your home could be losing a lot of energy—and money. One of the best solutions to upgrade your home's energy efficiency is blown in insulation.
In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about blown in insulation, from how it works and what materials are used, to its many benefits and why it's such a smart investment for Scottsdale homes.
What Is Blown In Insulation?
Blown in insulation—also known as loose-fill insulation—is a type of insulation made from small particles of material that are blown into place using specialized equipment. This allows the insulation to fill cavities and cover irregular spaces more completely than traditional batts or rolls.
There are two main types commonly used in attics:
Cellulose – Made from recycled paper products treated with fire retardants.
Fiberglass – Made from spun glass fibers and also treated for fire safety.
Both types are highly effective at creating a thermal barrier that helps keep indoor temperatures stable all year round.
How Is It Installed?
The process is quick, clean, and minimally invasive—making it a favorite among homeowners and insulation pros alike.
Assessment: A professional will inspect your attic to determine how much insulation is needed and identify any issues like leaks, pests, or inadequate ventilation.
Preparation: If existing insulation is damaged or needs to be removed, that step comes first.
Installation: A blowing machine is used to distribute the loose-fill material evenly across the attic floor, filling every nook and cranny.
Finishing Touches: The insulation is leveled to a consistent depth to ensure optimal performance.
For most standard-size homes, the entire process can often be completed in just a few hours.
Why Scottsdale Homes Need Blown In Insulation
Arizona’s climate poses unique challenges—especially the extreme summer heat. Blown in insulation can significantly improve your home’s ability to withstand these temperatures. Here’s how:
Improved Energy Efficiency: A well-insulated attic can lower your cooling bills by up to 20%. Blown in insulation helps create a strong thermal barrier that keeps your AC from working overtime.
Year-Round Comfort: While summers get all the attention, Scottsdale can also see chilly desert nights in the winter. Blown in insulation helps regulate indoor temperatures in all seasons.
Moisture and Mold Resistance: When properly installed, blown in insulation can also help reduce the risk of moisture buildup—especially with cellulose, which is treated to resist mold and pests.
Environmentally Friendly: Cellulose is made from recycled materials, and fiberglass has a relatively low environmental footprint. Both options contribute to greener living.
The Benefits of Blown In Over Other Insulation Types
You might be wondering how blown in insulation compares to traditional batt or spray foam insulation. Here's a quick breakdown:
Feature Blown In Insulation Batt Insulation Spray Foam
Coverage Excellent – fills gaps completely Good – may leave gaps Excellent
Installation Speed Fast Moderate Slower
Cost Affordable Affordable Higher
Sound Dampening Great Moderate Good
Best Use Attics, retrofits Walls, new construction Sealing air leaks
For many Scottsdale homeowners, blown in insulation offers the best combination of performance, affordability, and ease of installation—especially for upgrading attics.
How Long Does It Last?
When professionally installed and maintained, blown in insulation can last 20 to 30 years or more. It doesn't settle as quickly as many people assume, especially modern fiberglass versions, and remains effective for decades. Regular inspections can help ensure it maintains its depth and effectiveness over time.
When Should You Consider Upgrading?
If you’re experiencing any of the following, it might be time to upgrade your attic insulation:
High energy bills, especially in summer
Uneven indoor temperatures
Drafts or hot spots in the home
Old or damaged insulation
Preparing to sell your home and want to improve energy ratings
Upgrading to blown in insulation is not only practical but also one of the most cost-effective ways to boost your home’s energy efficiency and resale value.
Why Work With Scottsdale Attic Insulation?
At Scottsdale Attic Insulation, we specialize in helping local homeowners stay cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and save money all year round. Our experienced technicians use high-quality materials and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure your blown in insulation is installed perfectly the first time.
We understand the unique needs of homes in the Scottsdale area and take pride in providing honest, friendly service with results you can feel.
Final Thoughts
Blown in insulation is a simple yet powerful upgrade that offers immediate and long-term benefits for homeowners in Scottsdale. Whether you’re dealing with rising energy costs, uneven temperatures, or just want to make your home more eco-friendly, blown in insulation is a smart, effective solution.
Ready to improve your home’s comfort and efficiency? Contact Scottsdale Attic Insulation today for a free consultation and find out how blown in insulation can make a big difference in your home.
Top Blown In Insulation in Scottsdale | Save 30% on Bills
Professional Blown In Insulation in Scottsdale for better energy efficiency and comfort. Trusted installers delivering quality service. Call 602-483-4042!https://scottsdaleatticinsulation.com
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Billy Bragg - Tooth & Nail (2013)
Come già in parte è avvenuto con Mr. Love and Justice, anche in Tooth and Nai, Billy Bragg abbandona il suo "essere" cantautore militante politico e sociale in favore di un suono e quindi di un risultato molto più riflessivo e intimo... Leggi e ascolta...
Billy Bragg - Tooth & Nail (2013)
Come già in parte è avvenuto con Mr. Love and Justice, anche in Tooth and Nai, Billy Bragg abbandona il suo “essere” cantautore militante politico e sociale in favore di un suono e quindi di un risultato molto più riflessivo e intimo. E' evidente che in questi cinque anni di silenzio ha maturato esperienze personali, uno sguardo, un vissuto e un riequilibrio interiore che probabilmente negli anni passati aveva lasciato in stand-by. Una sfera “bragghiana” mi si passi il termine, non nuova quindi ma sicuramente più profonda e matura. Lo si sente subito fin dai primi brani a cominciare dalla voce che, come non mai, raggiunge vertici di espressione notevoli... artesuono.blogspot.com/2014/10…
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Home – Identità DigitaleSono su: Mastodon.uno - Pixelfed - Feddit
Billy Bragg - Tooth & Nail (2013)
di Silvano Bottaro Come già in parte è avvenuto con Mr. Love and Justice, anche in Tooth and Nai, Billy Bragg abbandona il suo "es...Silvano Bottaro (Blogger)
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