Dispatches — every piece
82 pieces · 3 years · 101 tags
2026 12 entries
Ai·10 min read·
A Month of Modularization: nexus-agents in April 2026
Extracting benchmarks into a standalone package was the punchline. The setup was a month of governance, skills, security, and pipeline discipline that made the extraction possible in an afternoon.
Open Source·6 min read·
Grading GitHub Repos: Six-Dimension Hygiene Scores from repo-health-report
A static-analysis tool that grades any GitHub repo across security, testing, docs, architecture, devops, and maintenance. The methodology is still WIP, but the findings are consistent: most repos are skipping the basics.
Security·8 min read·
Signed USB Rescue Boot: aegis-boot and the QEMU+OVMF Persona Harness
A UEFI-Secure-Boot-preserving rescue USB for any ISO, and the companion QEMU harness that validates it against ~100 hardware personas without physical Frameworks, ThinkPads, or Dells on a lab bench.
Linux·8 min read·
Multiboxing EverQuest on Linux: Deterministic Wine Prefixes and Programmatic Window Layout
I left Windows behind for good. Norrath-Native is an IaC-style toolkit that deploys EverQuest on Ubuntu 24.04 with Wine and DXVK, and a growing exploration into what you can actually do with programmatic window management on Linux.
Design·9 min read·
Remarque: A Typography-First Design System for Technical Sites
Most developer sites look like SaaS dashboards. Remarque is the antidote — a design system rooted in book typography, 17px body text, 46rem reading columns, and the OKLCH color space. Self-hosted fonts, AI-native tokens, zero CDN dependencies.
Civic Tech·5 min read·
Building US Code Tracker: Federal Law as Git History
How I built an end-to-end pipeline that converts the United States Code from XML into a Git-versioned, searchable static site with 53,000+ sections and inline case law annotations.
Security·6 min read·
Investigating the Trivy Supply Chain Compromise with AI Agents
How I used AI-assisted investigation to triage the trivy-action supply chain attack across my homelab repos — and some thoughts on weekend incident response and community notification gaps.
Python·5 min read·
From Paper to Font File: Building an Open-Source Handwriting Digitizer
How Handwright turns a scanned worksheet into a custom .ttf font — OpenCV glyph extraction, potrace vectorization, and fonttools assembly. Local-first, no cloud required.
Astro·5 min read·
Building a 3,500-Book Digital Library with Astro and Six APIs
How I built Tsundoku — a curated digital bookshelf with multi-source enrichment, free reading links, and a static-site architecture that serves 3,500+ books without a database.
Ai·11 min read·
Building Nexus-Agents: What I Learned Creating a Multi-Model AI Orchestration System
The engineering story behind nexus-agents, a research-backed multi-model orchestration system that coordinates Claude, Gemini, and Codex through consensus voting, adaptive routing, and graph workflows.
Ai·8 min read·
Consensus Voting With AI Models: When Three Opinions Beat One
How multi-model consensus voting catches blind spots that single models miss. The research behind adversarial roles, Bayesian aggregation, and structured deliberation across Claude, Gemini, and Codex.
Ai·8 min read·
From RouteLLM to Contextual Bandits: How Research Papers Shaped My Model Router
How I went from naive round-robin model selection to a five-stage routing pipeline backed by RouteLLM, TOPSIS, and LinUCB research. The failures that led to each improvement.
2025 38 entries
Cloud·11 min read·
Building a Private Cloud in Your Homelab with Proxmox and Security Best Practices
Learn to build and secure a production-grade private cloud using Proxmox VE. Covers network segmentation, backup strategies, security hardening, and resource management with real homelab implementation lessons.
Security·10 min read·
Hardening Docker Containers in Your Homelab: A Defense-in-Depth Approach
Eight security layers that stopped real attacks in homelab testing: minimal base images, user namespaces, seccomp profiles, network segmentation, and more. Defense-in-depth without Kubernetes overhead.
Security·12 min read·
Building a Homelab Security Dashboard with Grafana and Prometheus
Real-world guide to monitoring security events in your homelab. Covers Prometheus configuration, Grafana dashboards, and alerting rules for threat detection.
Supply Chain·10 min read·
NodeShield: Runtime SBOM Enforcement Stops 98% of Supply Chain Attacks
NodeShield enforces SBOMs at runtime using CBOM policies to prevent supply chain attacks. Homelab Docker deployment guide with attack simulations, 98.3% prevention rate, and <1ms overhead.
Prometheus·6 min read·
PromSketch: 2-100x Faster Prometheus Queries with Sketch Algorithms
Deploy PromSketch to optimize slow PromQL queries using sketch-based approximation. Homelab benchmarks show 2-100x speedup on percentile queries.
Quantum Computing·7 min read·
Quantum Error Correction Breakthrough: How Google's Willow Chip Changes Everything
Google's Willow chip achieved the first quantum error correction breakthrough below the critical threshold, proving that adding more qubits can actually reduce errors. This changes the future of computing, cryptography, and AI forever.
Siem·10 min read·
SIEM for Homelab: Wazuh vs Graylog Performance Comparison
Deploy and benchmark Wazuh and Graylog SIEM solutions in your homelab. Performance analysis, resource usage, and integration patterns for security monitoring.
Computational Science·32 min read·
Preparing Your Homelab for the Quantum Future: Post-Quantum Cryptography Migration
Implement post-quantum cryptography with CRYSTALS-Kyber and Dilithium—prepare homelab for quantum threats using NIST-approved algorithms.
Ethics·18 min read·
Building a Privacy-First AI Lab: Deploying Local LLMs Without Sacrificing Ethics
Build privacy-first AI lab with local LLMs—run models up to 34B on RTX 3090 (24GB VRAM) with network isolation, traffic monitoring, and real privacy controls.
Ai·16 min read·
From 150K to 2K Tokens: How Progressive Context Loading Revolutionizes LLM Development Workflows
Optimize LLM workflows with progressive context loading—achieve 98% token reduction using modular architecture for efficient production deployments.
Ai·9 min read·
From Claude in Your Terminal to Robots in Your Workshop: The Embodied AI Revolution
Deploy Vision-Language-Action models for embodied AI robots—integrate physical world interaction with security considerations for homelab automation.
Automation·11 min read·
Automated Security Scanning Pipeline with Grype and OSV
Build automated security scanning pipelines with Grype, OSV, and Trivy—integrate vulnerability detection into CI/CD workflows with actionable reporting.
Homelab·7 min read·
Proxmox High Availability Setup for Homelab Reliability
Build Proxmox high-availability clusters with shared storage and automated failover—implement live migration for zero-downtime homelab maintenance.
Homelab·8 min read·
IoT Security in Your Home Lab: Lessons from OWASP IoTGoat
Test IoT security with OWASP IoTGoat—practice firmware extraction, API exploitation, and hardware hacking in secure lab environments.
Automation·18 min read·
Building a Smart Vulnerability Prioritization System with EPSS and CISA KEV
Prioritize vulnerabilities with EPSS and CISA KEV catalog—move beyond CVSS scores to risk-based patch management using exploitation probability metrics.
Automation·5 min read·
Building Your Own MITRE ATT&CK Threat Intelligence Dashboard
Build MITRE ATT&CK threat intelligence dashboard with Python—track adversary tactics and techniques using open-source threat feeds.
Homelab·16 min read·
Implementing Zero Trust Microsegmentation with VLANs
Implement zero trust with VLAN segmentation—secure homelab networks using micro-segmentation and layer 3 firewalls for defense in depth.
Cryptography·13 min read·
Self-Hosted Password Manager Migration: Bitwarden Deep Dive
Migrate to self-hosted Bitwarden—deploy secure vault with backup strategies, SSL certificates, and database encryption for full control.
Homelab·13 min read·
Building a Network Traffic Analysis Lab with Suricata
Deploy Suricata IDS/IPS for real-time network threat detection—configure rule management, performance tuning, and SIEM integration for homelab monitoring.
Docker·12 min read·
Docker Runtime Security Hardening with Linux Security Modules
Harden Docker containers using AppArmor and SELinux for isolation without orchestration overhead. LSM profiles, seccomp filters, and capability dropping at homelab scale.
Ai·10 min read·
AI as Cognitive Infrastructure: The Invisible Architecture Reshaping Human Thought
Understand AI cognitive infrastructure shaping how billions think—explore societal effects of language models transforming from tools to thought systems.
Ai·6 min read·
Supercharging Development with Claude-Flow: AI Swarm Intelligence for Modern Engineering
Deploy Claude-Flow AI agent swarms for development—achieve 84.8% SWE-Bench solve rate with neural learning and multi-agent orchestration for complex tasks.
Ai·13 min read·
Down the MCP Rabbit Hole: Building a Standards Server
Build MCP standards server for Claude AI—implement Model Context Protocol for intelligent code standards and context-aware workflows.
Ai·11 min read·
Exploring Claude CLI Context and Compliance with My Standards Repository
Transform Claude CLI with standards integration—achieve 90% token reduction and automate workflows using context-aware MCP server architecture.
Automation·9 min read·
Vulnerability Management at Scale with Open Source Tools
Build enterprise vulnerability management with open source—deploy scanning, remediation tracking, and compliance using Nessus and OpenVAS.
Cryptography·6 min read·
Implementing DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) for Home Networks
Deploy DNS-over-HTTPS with Pi-hole and dnscrypt-proxy—encrypt DNS queries for home network privacy and prevent ISP monitoring with DoH implementation.
Ebpf·14 min read·
eBPF for Security Monitoring: A Practical Guide
Implement eBPF security monitoring for real-time kernel visibility—track syscalls and network activity with production-ready patterns for threat detection.
Ai·8 min read·
Local LLM Deployment: Privacy-First Approach
Deploy local LLMs for privacy-first AI—run language models on homelab hardware with model selection, optimization, and deployment strategies.
Ai·17 min read·
Fine-Tuning LLMs in the Homelab: A Practical Guide
Fine-tune LLMs on homelab hardware with QLoRA and 4-bit quantization. Train Llama 3 8B models on RTX 3090 with dataset prep and optimization strategies.
Homelab·5 min read·
Building a Security-Focused Homelab: My Journey
Build security-focused homelab with Proxmox, VLANs, and IDS/IPS—create testing environment for cybersecurity and family data protection.
Ai·4 min read·
Securing Your Personal AI/ML Experiments: A Practical Guide
Secure personal AI experiments with model isolation and network segmentation—protect LLM deployments using privacy controls and threat modeling.
Learning·7 min read·
From IT Support to Senior InfoSec Engineer: My 15+ Year Journey
Navigate IT support to senior InfoSec engineer path—learn from 15+ years securing federal systems with practical career transition advice.
Homelab·6 min read·
Raspberry Pi Security Projects That Actually Solve Problems
Build Raspberry Pi security projects with Pi-hole, VPN gateway, and honeypots—deploy practical network monitoring and threat detection on budget hardware.
Learning·9 min read·
Continuous Learning in Cybersecurity: Strategies That Work
Master continuous cybersecurity learning with lab exercises, research tracking, and community engagement—stay current without burnout.
Automation·4 min read·
Automating Home Network Security with Python and Open Source Tools
Automate home network security with Python and Ansible—deploy patching, threat detection, and compliance scanning for homelab infrastructure.
Llm·9 min read·
LLM-Powered Security Alert Triage with Local Models
Automate security alert analysis using local LLMs (Ollama) for privacy-preserving incident response. Reduce alert fatigue with AI-powered triage without cloud dependencies.
Homelab·13 min read·
Privacy-Preserving AI Training Across My Homelab: Federated Learning with Granular-Ball Computing
Deploy federated learning across homelab with granular-ball computing—train privacy-preserving models with 82% reduced network transfer.
Web Development·3 min read·
Building My Digital Garden with Eleventy
Build privacy-respecting sites with Eleventy—create fast, accessible static websites with zero tracking and excellent Core Web Vitals.
2024 32 entries
Ai·14 min read·
GPU Power Monitoring in My Homelab: When Machine Learning Met My Electricity Bill
Monitor GPU power with NVIDIA SMI and Grafana dashboards—reduce ML training electricity costs by 40% using optimization strategies for RTX 3090.
Architecture·12 min read·
Blockchain Beyond Cryptocurrency: Building the Trust Layer of the Internet
Deploy blockchain beyond cryptocurrency with Ethereum and smart contracts—build decentralized trust for supply chain and identity verification.
Container Orchestration·11 min read·
Sandboxing Untrusted Containers with gVisor: Lessons from G-Fuzz Vulnerability Research
Secure containers with gVisor sandboxing—prevent kernel exploits in Kubernetes clusters while managing 59% startup overhead for untrusted workloads.
Edge Computing·14 min read·
Running LLaMA 3.1 on a Raspberry Pi: Memory-Efficient Edge AI with PIPELOAD
Run LLaMA 3.1 on Raspberry Pi with PIPELOAD pipeline inference—achieve 90% memory reduction and deploy 7B models on 8GB edge devices at 2.5 tokens/sec.
Computational Science·20 min read·
Quantum Computing's Leap Forward
Explore quantum computing with IBM Qiskit and quantum algorithms—quantum advantage, error correction, and real-world applications.
Ai·14 min read·
Multimodal Foundation Models: Capabilities, Challenges, and Applications
Build multimodal AI systems with GPT-4 Vision and CLIP—process text, images, and audio together for next-generation foundation model applications.
Sustainability·14 min read·
Sustainable Computing: Strategies for Reducing IT's Carbon Footprint
Reduce IT carbon footprint with sustainable computing practices—optimize datacenter energy efficiency and cut ML training costs by 40%.
Architecture·25 min read·
Zero Trust Architecture: A Practical Implementation Guide
Implement zero trust with identity verification and micro-segmentation—secure networks using never-trust-always-verify principles.
Architecture·7 min read·
Designing Resilient Systems — Lessons from Things Breaking
The cascade failure that changed how I think about building systems that break gracefully.
Privacy·9 min read·
Zero-Knowledge Proof Authentication for Homelab Services
Implement privacy-preserving authentication using ZK-SNARKs for homelab SSO. No passwords transmitted, cryptographic proof of identity without revealing credentials.
Ai·14 min read·
Context Windows in Large Language Models: The Memory That Shapes AI
Understand LLM context windows from 2K to 2M tokens—optimize model performance and prevent hallucinations at 28K token boundaries.
Ai·14 min read·
Large Language Models for Smart Contract Security: Promise and Limitations
Test LLM smart contract security with GPT-4 and Claude—achieve 80% reentrancy detection accuracy but manage 38% false positives in production workflows.
Ai·45 min read·
AI Learning in Resource-Constrained Environments
Train AI models on resource-constrained hardware with quantization, pruning, and distillation—run GPT-3 capabilities 100x faster through compression.
Programming·3 min read·
The Pizza Calculator: A Weekend Project in Humility
A Saturday afternoon coding project that taught me more about assumptions than algorithms.
Ai·15 min read·
AI Meets Edge Computing: Transforming Real-Time Intelligence
Deploy AI edge computing with YOLOv8 and TensorFlow Lite—achieve 15ms latency for real-time inference on Raspberry Pi with local processing for privacy.
Ai·20 min read·
AI: The New Frontier in Cybersecurity – Opportunities and Ethical Dilemmas
Deploy AI-powered cybersecurity with automated threat detection—achieve 73% accuracy in anomaly detection catching attacks SIEM systems miss.
Computational Science·9 min read·
Quantum Computing and Defense: The Double-Edged Sword of Tomorrow's Technology
Prepare for quantum computing threats with post-quantum cryptography—protect RSA and ECC encryption from quantum attacks using NIST-approved algorithms.
Computational Science·11 min read·
Preparing for the Quantum Leap: A Guide to Quantum-Resistant Cryptography
Implement quantum-resistant cryptography with NIST post-quantum algorithms. Future-proof encryption against quantum attacks using Kyber and Dilithium.
Ai·12 min read·
Learning from Nature: How Biomimetic Robotics is Revolutionizing Engineering
Design biomimetic robots inspired by nature—implement gecko adhesion, swarm intelligence, and soft robotics using billions of years of evolution.
Ai·10 min read·
Teaching AI Agents to Ask for Help: A Breakthrough in Human-Robot Interaction
Train embodied AI agents with vision, language, and physical interaction—build robots that learn from real environments using reinforcement learning.
Ai·11 min read·
Mastering Prompt Engineering: Unlocking the Full Potential of LLMs
Master prompt engineering with few-shot learning and chain-of-thought techniques—improve LLM response quality by 40% through systematic optimization.
Devops·12 min read·
Implementing Zero Trust Security: Never Trust, Always Verify
Deploy zero trust security with continuous verification and identity-centric controls—implement never-trust-always-verify for Federal EO 14028 compliance.
Ai·11 min read·
The Ethics of Large Language Models
Address LLM ethics including bias, privacy, and accountability—implement responsible AI frameworks for large language model deployment in production.
Ai·18 min read·
The Evolution of High-Performance Computing: Key Trends and Innovations
Deploy high-performance computing with parallel processing and distributed systems—access supercomputer capabilities through cloud HPC for AI workloads.
Ai·16 min read·
Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG): Enhancing LLMs with External Knowledge
Build RAG systems with vector databases and semantic search—eliminate LLM hallucinations and ground responses in verified knowledge for trustworthy AI.
Ai·14 min read·
The Transformer Architecture: A Deep Dive
Master transformer architecture with self-attention and positional encoding—understand the foundation of GPT-4, BERT, and modern language models.
Cloud·10 min read·
Cloud Migration: A Guide to Navigating Your Journey to the Cloud
Execute cloud migration from on-premises infrastructure with AWS/Azure strategies—reduce costs by 40% and improve scalability with proven patterns.
Ai·13 min read·
Open-Source vs. Proprietary LLMs: A Battle of Accessibility, Customization, and Community
Compare open-source vs proprietary LLMs with Llama 3 and GPT-4 benchmarks—understand performance, cost, and customization trade-offs for production.
Ai·10 min read·
The Deepfake Dilemma: Navigating the Threat of AI-Generated Deception
Detect AI-generated deepfakes with neural network analysis and authentication methods—combat misinformation with 73% accuracy detection models.
Python·8 min read·
Building a Python Vulnerability Scanner with NVD API Integration
Automate vulnerability detection in your homelab using Python and the National Vulnerability Database API. Track CVEs, scan dependencies, and integrate with monitoring systems.
Cryptography·14 min read·
Demystifying Cryptography: A Beginner's Guide to Encryption, Hashing, and Digital Signatures
Learn cryptography fundamentals with AES-256, RSA, and SHA-3—implement encryption, hashing, and digital signatures for production security systems.
Programming·10 min read·
Writing Secure Code: A Developer's Guide to Thwarting Security Exploits
Master secure code development with input validation, parameterized queries, and secrets management—prevent SQL injection and XSS in production systems.