Linda's Blogspot

  The Great Escape: Jack London’s The Valley of the Moon ​Long before the modern "slow living" movement or the trend of moving to the countryside to escape the "rat race," Jack London penned a love letter to the California landscape. Published in 1913, The Valley of the Moon stands as one of his most hopeful works, trading the frozen, indifferent wilderness of his earlier novels for the sun-drenched possibilities of the Sonoma Valley. ​From the Concrete Jungle to the Open Road ​The novel opens not in the wild, but in the gritty, industrial heart of Oakland. We meet Billy Roberts , a teamster and former prize-fighter, and Saxon Brown , a spirited laundry worker. Their early romance is quickly overshadowed by the harsh realities of early 20th-century labor. As violent strikes tear through the city and poverty tightens its grip, the couple suffers a series of personal tragedies, including a heartbreaking miscarriage and Billy’s brief imprisonment. ​London uses thi...

  Mama Adunni: Elder Adunni Oshupa Tabasi ​ Elder Adunni Oshupa Tabasi,  a longtime resident of Staten Island, the woman formerly known as Evelyn Price because a bridge between the African Diaspora and the continent of Africa. She didn't just study history; she reclaimed it, living as a "Captive African Survivor Refugee" dedicated to the dignity of her ancestors and the liberation of her descendants. ​ Guardian of the Ancestors: The African Burial Ground ​In 1991, the discovery of a colonial-era cemetery containing the remains of over 400 enslaved Africans in Lower Manhattan sent shockwaves through New York. While the government saw a construction site, Adunni saw a sacred duty. ​As a prominent member of the Federal Steering Committee , Adunni became the conscience of the descendant community. Their fight was not just over land, but over the very soul of American history. Her contribution was defined by two major pillars: ​ The Power of Language: Adunni was a fierc...

​Reginald Middleton ​ Reginald "Reggie" Middleton (born c. 1970s) is an American financial analyst, entrepreneur, and blockchain pioneer. He is the founder of the financial analysis platform Boom Bust Blog and the blockchain software company Veritaseum . Middleton rose to national prominence for his accurate predictions regarding the 2008 financial crisis. In the 2010s, he became a central figure in the development of Decentralized Finance (DeFi), securing foundational patents for peer-to-peer value transfer systems. His career has been marked by high-profile litigation, including a landmark settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and ongoing legal efforts to vacate that judgment based on allegations of regulatory misconduct. ​1. Career ​1.1 Boom Bust Blog (2007–2013) ​Middleton launched Boom Bust Blog in 2007, utilizing it to publish contrarian financial research. He gained a reputation for "calling" the insolvency of major financi...

  The Ogiek of Mau Forest: A Living Blueprint for Regenerative Living ​The word "Ogiek" in Kenya's Mau Forest translates to "caretaker of flora and fauna"—a name that profoundly embodies their ancestral wisdom and enduring connection to their environment. For centuries, the Ogiek people have practiced a way of life that modern science is now validating as the pinnacle of regenerative agriculture and ecological stewardship. Their existence is a harmonious, closed-loop system where the forest provides everything, and in return, they meticulously safeguard its health. ​The Forest: A Mother, A Pharmacy, A Livelihood ​The Ogiek's daily life is woven into the fabric of the Mau Forest, where they identify over 300 plant species. While their comprehensive knowledge spans a vast botanical library, their consistent daily use focuses on critical needs: medicine, food, and apiculture (beekeeping), which is central to their culture. ​ Medicinal Mastery: The Ogiek ar...

When anger becomes chronic and fixates into obsession, it creates a self-reinforcing loop that actively degrades cognitive function. It's like having a viral infection in your operating system – it consumes resources, energy, destroys having a positive life, and causes critical errors. ​Prolonged anger, and obsession degrades  common sense and critical thinking: ​ The Cognitive Trap: How Prolonged Anger and Obsession Steals Common Sense ​We've discussed how acute anger can temporarily "hijack" the brain, diverting resources from our executive functions. But what happens when that anger lingers, festering into an obsession ? The impact is far more insidious, creating a prolonged state of cognitive impairment that actively undermines our ability to think clearly, make sound decisions, and apply common sense. ​It’s not just a momentary lapse; it’s a sustained erosion of mental capacity. ​From Acute Anger to Chronic Obsession: A Dangerous Escalation ​Imagine the bra...

​ The Loom as a Computer: Unpacking African Algorithms ​The  Kente cloth from Ghana to the untrained eye, it's a beautiful, intricate fabric. To a computer scientist, it's a living archive of algorithms. ​Every thread in a Kente loom makes a binary choice: over (1) or under (0). The master weaver follows a complex, unwritten algorithm that dictates patterns of repetition, variation, and recursion. This isn't just art; it's a precise set of instructions, a "code" that generates a stable, yet infinitely adaptable, design. ​ Fractal Logic: Just like a fractal image contains smaller versions of itself, Kente patterns embed smaller, self-similar motifs. This fractal logic is the backbone of modern data compression (JPEG, MPEG) and intricate CGI graphics. ​ Modular Self-Similarity: African social structures and village layouts often mirror this. A family unit's logic scales up to the village, and the village's logic scales up to the kingdom. This m...