Alcazar · Blog

Notes, stories, and best practices.

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Leave the right message behind

Set up encrypted messages, files, and instructions for the people who would need them most if something happened to you.

See the dead man's switch

Best VPNs in 2026 for privacy and security

Apr 11, 2026

Search "best vpn 2026" and you will see the same names over and over. If privacy and security come first, the shortlist gets much shorter: Proton VPN, Mullvad, and IVPN.

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What Palantir actually sells

Apr 6, 2026

Palantir is not just a giant database. It turns a messy institution into a live operational model that people can search, analyze, and act through, from factory floors to battlefields.

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The best tools for sending an email if you go silent

Apr 3, 2026

This is a smaller category than it looks. The best option depends on whether you want Gmail handoff, automatic delivery after missed check-ins, or a self-hosted setup.

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The most secure phone today is a Google Pixel running GrapheneOS

Apr 2, 2026

For serious phone security, the real choice is a recent Pixel with GrapheneOS or a recent iPhone with Lockdown Mode. GrapheneOS is the stronger option. Lockdown Mode is the easier mainstream one.

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AI Progress and the Singularity: the case for 2027-2029

Mar 27, 2026

A short history of the AI boom, the strongest cases for and against near-term AGI, and my prediction: if a real break is coming, it probably shows up by 2029.

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What is a wrench attack?

Mar 21, 2026

A wrench attack is when someone skips hacking and targets the person instead. Here is what the term means, why bitcoin and crypto holders are vulnerable, how documented cases have grown, and what people can do to lower the risk.

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Dead man's switch vs digital will: what each one is for

Mar 19, 2026

A dead man's switch is automatic. A digital will organizes your digital estate. Emergency access and legal wills solve adjacent problems. Here is how the pieces fit.

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What is a dead man's switch?

Mar 16, 2026

A dead man's switch triggers when someone stops checking in. Here is what the term means, why people confuse it with kill switches or emergency access, and where Dead Hand, digital legacy, and wills fit.

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Hacker News digest: why Top HN focuses on the comments

Mar 13, 2026

A closer look at how Top HN turns the best Hacker News stories and comment threads into a daily and weekly digest.

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Dead man's switches: how they work and when to use one

Mar 8, 2026

A simple check-in pattern for releasing messages, files, or credentials after silence.

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Sharing encrypted files in a single HTML file

Mar 5, 2026

Useful for email attachments, offline backup kits, client handoffs, and delayed-release payloads.

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Practical uses for a dead man's switch

Mar 1, 2026

Examples from digital estate planning, founder risk, solo travel, and delayed messages.

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