The cheapest new server worth owning costs $339.00. That is the Beelink Mini S12 Pro, an Intel N100 mini PC with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, and it idles at 8 to 9 watts according to third party measurements. At the U.S. residential average of 18.31 cents per kWh, running it every hour… Continue reading The Beginner’s Homelab: What to Buy First, What to Skip
Category: Tutorials
Step-by-step playbooks you can actually run. Includes the Data Brokers DIY opt-out, OpenClaw and n8n setup, local-LLM bring-up, Meshtastic mesh networks, and the de-Google move-off-Drive playbook. Every tutorial is field-tested in the author’s own stack.
Run a Hermes AI Gateway on an $80 Android Phone (Termux)
Why would you run an AI agent on a phone instead of a VPS? Split diagram: agent layer (outbound work) runs on the phone, public ingress stays on the VPS. An $80 used phone, zero dollars a month, and one afternoon of reps. That is the whole bill for a 24/7 self-hosted AI agent that… Continue reading Run a Hermes AI Gateway on an $80 Android Phone (Termux)
Delete Yourself From Data Brokers Without Paying DeleteMe
A practical DIY playbook for removing yourself from data brokers and people-search sites , including California’s new DROP platform , without paying DeleteMe’s $129/yr or Optery’s $39/yr.
AI Browser Agents Are the New Attack Surface: A Privacy Playbook for Builders
AI browser agents are useful, but they turn your browser profile into a security boundary. Here is the privacy playbook for builders.
Google Drive Is Not Your Private Hard Drive: Manga Artist Ban Shows the Creator Backup Problem
A manga artist says Google banned his account after Drive uploads. Here is what creators should do: encrypted cloud, local backups, and safer account design.
Google AI Search Privacy: Better Alternatives to Protect Your Searches
Google AI Overviews changed search forever. Private alternatives, SearXNG self-hosting guide, and what it means for publishers in 2026.
Mandatory ID Is Coming for Phones and Social Media. Here’s How to Move to Nostr Before the Gate Closes
Mandatory ID for phones and social media is coming. Why it matters, how Nostr is different, and how to move your online life before the gate closes.
n8n AI Agents: Self-Hosted Automation Guide (2026)
Self-host n8n AI agents for $5/month vs $599 Zapier. Complete 2026 setup guide with Docker, local LLMs, and workflow examples.
Meshtastic: Build Your Own Off-Grid Mesh Network
Build a Meshtastic off-grid mesh network for $30. Complete 2026 guide: hardware, range, setup, and private communication when cell towers fail.
MCP Explained: The USB-C of AI Connections
MCP explained: The USB-C for AI connections. What is Model Context Protocol, how to use it, and why OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic all adopted it in 2026.
