From Meshtastic to Meat Cuts: AI, DIY Infra, and Local Action

I’m back behind the mic after a minute away, reflecting on chaos, community, and the tools we can use to build real resilience. I share why I’ve been experimenting with DIY mesh networking—selling Heltec ESP32 LoRa nodes, trying Meshtastic, and looking to flash Mesh Core for a better UX and potential BitChat integration—plus what I’ve learned helping non‑coders ship with LLMs. From repo-deep dives and planning modes in Claude to the pitfalls of API limits and enterprise roadblocks, I talk about how AI is already leveling up solo builders and small teams—and why the next wave is bespoke, local-first software for real businesses, like a simple cut‑sheet app for small beef processors, backed by a self‑hosted Nostr relay. I also get into local action: filing FOIA requests about county NDAs, pushing back on data centers in rural communities, and the importance of shining light in dark corners. If you’ve been waiting for a nudge to build something useful or to show up in your neighborhood, consider this your sign—start small, iterate fast, and make your town better today.'Meshtastic (Open-Source Mesh Networking)': https://meshtastic.org'Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 (V3) Development Board': https://heltec.org/project/wifi-lora-32-v3/'ESP32 by Espressif Systems': https://www.espressif.com/en/products/socs/esp32'Semtech LoRa Technology Overview': https://www.semtech.com/lora'Nostr Protocol (Official Site)': https://nostr.com'Claude by Anthropic': https://claude.ai'FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) – U.S. Government Portal': https://www.foia.gov'dergigi (Gigi) – Writings and Projects': https://dergigi.com