AniManga: Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)

"My shallow thoughts drift...on the deep sea of imagination."

Rarely do I find a manga story that's so well written, that also has exquisite artwork. Kimetsu no Yaiba, (Blade of Demon Destruction) is an original concept with an imaginative recreation of old Japan. The series is written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge. The manga ran from 2016 -2019 with a twenty-six episode anime adaption aired in 2019.

The story follows siblings Tanjiru and Nezuko Kamado. Their father died from illness while they were young. Teenage Tanjiru the oldest of five children took care of his mother and siblings. While Tanjiru was out on an errand his family was killed by a demon. Only Nezuko survived but was turned into a demon. Together they go on a quest to cure Nezuko's sickness and take revenge on the creature that caused it. Along the way Tanjiru learns of the Hashira, part of the Demon Slayers Corps and trains to become one.

Almost all demons in the world can be traced back to the primordial demon Muzan Kibutsuji. He is the original demon and had lived for centuries when the story begins. Muzan possesses three brains and five hearts. Along with his unique anatomy he has the ability to create new demons with his blood. Telepathically communicate with and control any demon created by his blood, shape-shift, and separate his body into pieces, then recombine. He is bloodthirsty and extraordinarily hard to kill with very few weaknesses. The demons he creates also possess super human abilities like regeneration, strength, agility and a special skill called Blood Demon Arts. The more humans a demon eats the stronger they become. The really powerful get selected by Muzan to be executive Hashira slayers known as the Twelve Kizuki.

There are only a few ways to kill a demon. They can be killed by beheading with weapons made from a special metal alloy. They're also harmed by the flowers from the Wisteria plant. The flowers poison demons. It interferes with their regeneration, strength and blood arts. The last and most effective weapon is sunlight. Any demon exposed to the suns rays turns to ashes. The sun is the only way to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji. He's powerful and has lived so long that he's become impervious to the other methods.  

The Demon Slayer Corps was founded by the Ubuyashiki family hundreds of years before the story begins. This family has the special ability to see into the future which allowed them to amass a fortune. Kagaya Ubuyashiki is the 97th leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. His sole mission was to put an end to the demon Muzan during his generation. To achieve that goal he accepted Tanjiru and his sister into the Demon Slayers Corps. This decision did not pass without resistance from even his most dedicated supporters. After all Nezuko is a demon and they are demon slayers...it goes against their code of ethics. It's the equivalent of letting a wolf tend the sheep. Or letting a fox sleep in the chicken coop. The main reason they accepted Ubuyashikis' decision was because Nezuko didn't eat humans. She possessed enough of her humanity not to attack innocent people. 

Hashira train using special breathing techniques and swords, which allows them to fight on par with demons for a short amount of time. The first breathing techniques and strongest are breath of the sun and moon. After came water, fire, rock, thunder, Insect and several others. The swords they use are made in a secret village of blacksmith's high in the mountains. The place is so secretive that all the artisans wear masks. Also demon slayers have to be blindfolded and carried to the village so its location can never be compromised in case of capture. Once a demon slayer choices their sword the blade changes color. These unique weapons once broken have to be returned to the blacksmith's village for repairs. They're that important.   

After Tanjiru finished learning breath of water, he finds out he is a descendant of the breath of sun user. This allows him to use two breathing techniques and combine them. On his quest Tanjiru becomes friends with Inosuke Hashibira who uses Beast breath and Zenitsu Agatsuma who uses breath of Thunder. Inosuke's mother was killed by a demon so he grew up in the mountains around animals. He's wears a boars head at all times, is a duel sword wielder, and likes his swords to be jagged like shark teeth. Because he's lived around animals most his life Inosuke has a rough personality and is easily influenced. 

Zenitsu is a spoiled cry baby who grew-up being trained by his grandfather. Because of his scaredy cat personality he often has to be persuaded or dragged on missions. When put under tremendous stress Zenitsu becomes narcoleptic. He passes out then his brain switched from coward to badass. Usually he doesn't remember what happened afterwards. Both Zenitsu and Inosuke are fiercely loyal to Tanjiru. While Zenitsu is in love with Nezuko. 

The story follows their adventures full of challenges and tragedy wrapped in an exotic dance of illustrative art. The author really focuses on world expansion and character development. All the Hashira have interesting backstories which lead them to join the Demon Slayer Corps. One is blind, One has been mutilated by a demon and survived, One is a trained ninja with three wives, One had to kill his own mother, the list goes on. They have different reasons and histories that enrich the overall plot. 

Aside from the epic battle scenes, carnage, madness, mayhem and cemeteries worth of dead people. There is an underlying tale of family bonds, tradition and sibling affection. The plot is actually quite heartwarming. (Did I mention the carnage...cuz the demons get bizzy) The battle scenes are graphically detailed, with a lot of action sequences. There are only pauses never breaks. Season two of the anime just finished airing February 2022, and season three has already been announced. For people looking for something new and entertaining check out Kimetsu no Yaiba. If u like the series, pass it on and tell a friend to tell a friend. 

Until next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only 

New Technology

"Sit still and quiet long enough and what most people find. Their mental plane is very active... a secret theater of the mind."

The lockdown finally ended last Friday. I knew it was really over when I saw a pair of drunk tourists brazenly walk up to a police officer and ask where they could buy weed. The funny part was they were standing in front of a coffeeshop asking the question. Only in Amsterdam. I do enjoy the fact that everything is back open without restrictions. I'm not getting too excited yet (like btc reaching back above 44K), but I am getting hopefully optimistic. 

While the rest of us have tried adjusting to what is considered the new normal in society. There have been impressive innovations in science, nature and technology that can change the world. First is an inventor from Zimbabwe, Africa who invented a television that runs on radio frequency. Maxwell Chikumbutso, a self taught inventor who dropped out of school in his teens invented a television that requires no power cable or external power source. By attaching a RF-powered generator and small solar panels the television can be used outdoors or in off the grid remote locations. It uses the same radio frequency technology as bluetooth or wifi. Along with the "55' inch Samsung wide screen television Maxwell has also created a wireless remote. No more batteries, plugs or cables. Once this technology is refined it will revolutionize the television industry.

In the city of Brighton, U.K.. They've started a program where all building taller than five meters will have bee bricks inserted into them. The bee bricks are porous so bees can navigate easily through them and build habitats. Over the last few years the bee populations around the world have been on the decline. In the UK there are over 250 different species of solitary bees.  They hope that these experimental bricks will help biodiversity of solitary bee populations and start a stronger conservation initiative. This is a new project so it will take a few years of research and data collection to know the environmental impact. 

The company A-Gui Technology out of Taiwan is working on an interactive tactile response sex toy. In layman's terms u can have sex with the A.I. (artificial intelligence) personality on your computer. This technology when applied to already existing life like sex dolls, with added audio functions would create a sexbot. All that's missing is the A.I. personality and the ability to move independently. Before u run out and start buying parts to build your android. Remember that this is new tech it will take some time before it's applied to an actual robot. Below is a video demonstrating the product. The company has similar products already on the market but this is the only one that's interactive.  

The fact of the matter is, artificial intelligence is being used in your everyday life but you're unaware of it. It's moving at such a pace sometimes incredible technology is being developed that gets missed. There's a company named Bored.Ai that allows u to create art by writing text. Here's how it works, u give the A.I.bot a command to generate, then give it a description of what u desire. Say u wanted to see a race car, riding on clouds, in neon 4k, vibrant colors. This amazing A.I.bot takes the text, interprets it, then generates a piece of art out of thin air.

 

The art is completely original and made from words. There is no pre-existing template, it's all created through artificial intelligence. Another cool thing is u can use the same text  and change the word order to get a completely new picture. This project hasn't been released to the public yet. It will be available in two weeks. If you're curious to try the tech for yourself go to their website Bored.Ai and join the discord. Below are a few pieces I made with their A.I.bot. They're only examples of the endless possibilities this technology is capable of producing. I created the paintings, but Bored.Ai owns the images. After the public sale I'll be able to mint the art I create as an NFT and sell it everywhere. 

I've never used digital arts. My medium has always been paint, ink, pencil, and markers. This A.I. allows u to create original digital art with zero experience. 

If you like the information tell a friend to tell a friend and pass it on. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only

 

Living Forever

"Most creatures aren't prepared for when they die. Come closer, I have poor vision ...said the spider to the fly."

What would u do if u could live forever? Think of the vast amounts of knowledge and wisdom one could acquire with a long life. The key to immortality has been coveted by mankind since ancient times. The oldest story I know of is the "Epic of Gilgamesh." It's the tale about the king of Uruk who went on a quest to become immortal. The story goes back to 2100BC. The funny thing about Gilgamesh is that he gets advice from an immortal being on why he can't become immortal. The underlying message in the story isn't that all humans die, which is what most people say. What I got from it is that Gilgameshs' punishment was dying. The technology used by the beings he called gods which made them immortal could've been used on him. The reason they weren't sharing it is because, he terrorized the villagers and destroyed a bunch of stuff. 

The Sumerian Kings list has the names of rulers of ancient Mesopotamia who lived long lives. Some of the rulers in the list lived thousands of years. This seemed like science fiction to historians in the past, but as our technology advances the question of "can we live forever," is becoming a reality. Research into the subject over the millennia has ended in rumors, legends, deaths and mysteries. If u look back at the history of people who researched immortality either through alchemy, science or medicinal plants. Most of them had unusual circumstances surrounding their demise. The fact is, investigating how to live longer can shorten your lifespan.

To know if immortality is achievable we have to look at nature. Are there any creatures in the animal kingdom who aren't marked by death? The answer is "yes." I present to you Turritopsis dohrnii, more commonly known as the immortal jellyfish. This incredible creature cheats death by reverting back to a juvenile state once it grows old. In layman's terms this Jellyfish has a real case of Benjamin Buttons. Right now I'm sure you're thinking... No way a creature exists that can live forever. You would be incorrect. Aside from dying by predation or some other external means the immortal jellyfish could theoretically live forever. Research into their genetics and if the secret of their cells can be applied to primates is still ongoing. 

The whole concept of mortality came up in conversation when I was talking to my dead cousin. I had recently heard about this machine called the Integratron which was designed to make humans immortal. The machine was created by a ufologist named George Van Tassel. His story is quite interesting because he got the schematics and design for the machine from extraterrestrial sources. They gave him the knowledge on how to build the device because they felt that human lives were too short. For mankind to reach higher states of consciousness we needed to live longer. Aside from the unique properties of the structure which was constructed entirely of wood using no metal or nails. It was built in a location that maximized the Piezoelectricity from the earth around it. Unfortunately George died when the project was ninety percent complete. All his research and some parts of the machine were confiscated by the government. Rewind...let me give some context to that initial statement.  

My cousin Andrew Ghomes (rest in power Andy) died at the young age of thirty-eight, February, last year. He was like a little brother to me when we were young. Around the time he died my ability to process emotions had already ceased functioning. I understood the words that he was gone but the mind didn't acknowledge it. My rapacious hunger for wealth and knowledge kept me trapped in a vicious cycle of trading and creating. Those two activities consumed my every waking moment for months until I would fall into a dreamless sleep. Not anymore. 

Now I dream. Usually I don't remember my dreams and the ones I do remember are fragmented pieces. Recently I had this dream that was unlike any I've ever had before. I'm walking through this store named the Burlington Coat Factory shopping with my cousin Andy. Normally in dreams I can't read writing on the walls or tell time on a clock. In this dream everything was technicolor clear. I could read the name of the store clearly in bold, black letters on the wall. This place had levels like a mall with escalators that looked like they reached the sky lights on the ceiling. There were departments for clothes, shoes, coats, and all types of accessories. 

Andy and I walked down different aisles talking about various items we passed. My mind was distracted by the size of the store. As I was formulating the question of what store location we were in. Andy asked me "What's the use of making a lot of money if you don't live long enough to spend it?" I said, "leave it to your wife, family or kids."  We laughed as we made our way to the men's clothing. Andy was looking for jeans to go to a birthday party for a friend. Along the way he told me the story of a guy in New York who won a million dollars on a scratch ticket. Then he died of cancer one week later. After Andy finished we both agreed that "health is wealth."  

Our conversation continued for what felt like hours.  We chatted about growing up in the projects and how different things were as adults. After Andy had picked out a few pairs of jeans we started making our way to the checkout register. Outside the store window I could see snow on the ground. Andy's voice had become white noise in the background. Above the window was a black and white analog clock. At first glance the hands read three o' clock. After looking at the snow for a moment trying to gauge how deep it was from how high it was against the car tires. I looked again at the clock and it read seven forty. My legs moved on autopilot walking beside Andy as my mind tried processing what happened to the time.

Before my brain could form the right question, Andy's voice commanded my attention. It was like he was speaking through a megaphone. I focused on his face and noticed we had stopped walking. He asked if I was alright. I mumbled something about being distracted while noticing we were in a different part of the store. I was lost. Behind us was a wall sized window. Outside the parking lot was full of cars and shoppers hastily trying to escape the cold. Andy gazed outside at the snow and said "New Year is right around the corner. I got big plans for next year. What u got going on cuz?" I also looked out the window while he asked the question. As I pondered how to explain venture capitalism and crypto to my little cousin. An alarm bell went off inside my head. There was something wrong with this place. 

We walked for a long time but were no closer to the registers. There was snow outside and we were supposed to be in South Carolina? How am I in South Carolina? I fell asleep in bed. Did it snow in Holland? Is Andy in Europe? Where are we shopping? Then it struck me like a bolt of lightening. I was in a dream. I turned and looked at the side profile of Andys' face. He remained staring out the window at the ankle deep snow. My thoughts were racing like a hamster on a wheel trying to figure out how to articulate the words. Finally I just blurted out, "Cuzo you're dead." His head turned slowly as he smiled and our eyes locked for a moment. It appeared as if Andy was about to say something...then I woke up. I don't know if it was a result of unprocessed emotions, eating nachos to close to bedtime or a goodbye from a family member. Whatever the cause, that dream got me thinking about how most people don't plan for death. I've seen a lot of people die. In almost every one of the cases, those people were planning for a tomorrow. The reason many people don't make a Will is because they don't want to think about dying. 

What would u do if u could live forever? I would learn languages, travel to tropical places, get immersed in exploring cultures from around the globe. That's what would be written on paper if it was an essay. The truth is I would spend the first hundred years or so satisfying all my vices. Then my focus would be on accumulating opulent amounts of wealth. That's necessary to finance language interpreters to help me collect artifacts from remote locations on every continent. After a few thousand years of learning, adventuring, and exploring the far reaches of the planet. I would want to know what's next. Where were all the people going who passed on as I continued my endless existence? In this life I've been afflicted with a terrible incurable curse. It's plagued the alchemists and sorcerers of antiquity and it has been passed down through the generations. I'm afflicted with the obsession to know the "origin of all things." The (root) source of life, consciousness, evolution, interstellar travel, and what makes up the very fabric of reality. 

In Tibet there is a meditative technique that allows one to reach a state of higher consciousness where the physical body disintegrates and turns into photons of light. It's called the rainbow light body. This practice goes back thousands of years. According to the local Tibetans the knowledge was given to them by extraterrestrials. I watched the episode of Ancient Aliens (I love that show. They always propose interesting alternative theories to conventional archeology and history.) where they show photographs of the last practitioners final moments. The monks body shrunk down in stages until it was smaller than a doll. After that his entire body disappeared. The last photograph is of a beam of light shooting upward where his body used to be. Once disciples achieve this state of enlightenment their consciousness can travel to any of twelve star systems where this ritual is taught. 

What that teaches us is that there are other levels of reality. Some can be reached while in physical form. While others seem to require a transcendence to a spiritual self.  Don't get it twisted I plan on living a very long life. I workout and eat fairly healthy to ensure I live long enough to reach enlightenment. Still. The ideal of being stuck in a meat suit for all eternity and never allowed to explore other dimensions would be a punishment. If I were given the option to take an elixir of eternal life. Or use the Integratron immortality machine when they get it working. There's no question that they have the schematics and materials. Whose to say that it already isn't being rebuilt and tested in a hidden location. Some rich people with enough money, power, and influence want to live forever. Those same people are spending fortunes to make that desire a reality. I wouldn't want to be immortal. To me death is not the end. It's the answer to another unsolved mystery. One that allows me to get closer to the source. And perhaps see some friends and family members along the way. 

Part of the beauty of life is that we never know when its going to end. Therefore if u live every day as if it was your last. You can die with fewer regrets. Food for thought.  

Until Next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only

Shared Resources

"Although time holds the promise of change...problems around the globe remain the same."

The year is coming to a close and it has been interesting. It's the holidays. The most social time of the year and we're back in lockdown. All the bars, gyms, and stores close early. Movie theaters, nightclubs, and concert events are cancelled. People have been restricted to having only four guests in their homes. I'm hearing the word omicron so much in the news its starting to sound like a catch phrase. The only places that stay open after 8pm are grocery stores and coffeeshops. I'm grateful for those little things. According to the last update, if the problem improves the lockdown will end sometime in January.  I've been through this situation before and hoped not to go through it again. The fear is strong. Most citizens who can afford it travel across the border to Belgium for shopping and freedom.

This fear driven environment isn't limited to the social sector. The ripple effect like throwing a stone in calm water, has crushed all traditional markets. If you're into crypto I'm sure you've felt the pain of watching the prices drop like a plane with no pilot. The way people are panicking u would think it was the end of the world. It's not. I made a lot of money, lost a lot of money, and even though the market is crashing I'll earn it back. Since I get asked this question a lot, "What's my investment strategy?" I'll share some resources with you. This is not in investment advice. This is my method to get massive gains with minimum starting capital. 

First, use online resources to find new projects. One of the resources I've used since its inception is tokenmetrics.com. (Full disclosure, I am an investor in their platform. That's not why they're being recommended.) Token Metrics provides A.I. learning technology with skilled analysts to find the best up and coming projects before they're launched. There are also indices with buy and sell signals to help plan an exit strategy. At least seventy percent of the coins in my portfolio were chosen from their platform. If you're interested in trying their services u can use this referral link for a discount. Others places like airdropalert.com and airdrop.io have lists of new projects which are free, but may require u to complete certain tasks. Be careful with airdrop platforms because some less trustworthy places sell your data to third parties. Do your own research before giving up your information.

Some crypto influencers like Bitboy Crypto and MMCrypto also provide daily information on projects and what's occurring in the space. One thing to remember with all these crypto influencers, is they can only offer u their opinions. Just like I'm doing right now. The only way you're going to make money is if u take time to research the project yourself. If it looks good to u then take the risk. If not don't do it. Never invest in a project just because a face on social media says it's going to 100x. There's a possibility that u get burned, especially with meme coins.  

Second, join projects early with a use case that innovates or solves a problem in crypto. This can earn u six figures just off airdrops if they release a token down the line. Don't join hoping for an airdrop, join the project because it has good fundamentals and technology. The most notable airdrops released this year were 1inch, dydx, paraswap, instadapp, and opensea, on the Ethereum blockchain. There were numerous airdrops on other blockchains like Binance Chain, Solana, and Avalanche that were also profitable. 

Third, find good projects where u can stake or mine to earn yield. Staking provides the fastest way to make a passive income. Some projects offer up to one hundred percent yield. One thing to consider when staking. The higher the APY (annual percentage yield)  the higher the risk. One place that is reliable, low risk, with high yield is Celsius. (Full disclosure, I am an investor in their platform. That's not why they're being recommended.) Celsius provides crypto lending services that allow u to borrow money without selling your crypto.  Also they offer great apy when u compare them to the rest of the market. Mining is safer than staking but the income is slower. The best mining hardware for me is Helium....look them up. Also less known but still really profitable is M2 Pro miner. 

Last, sell while the projects going up and when its going down. I start selling once the asset reaches 3x or higher. The amount u sell is irrelevant. What's important is to take profit along the way. Don't be one of those people who hodl through market peaks and let the price fall to market lows to sell. (Like I was in the last bull market) By taking profit along the way it frees up capital to re-invest into new projects. Both my Helium and Luna reached my price targets so I sold them. With the profit I brought some Near, Atlas, Ewt, Netvrk, and land in the metaverse game Embersword. You can never go broke by taking profits. But it's almost a guarantee u will if u don't, because nothing goes up forever. Also, never put all your funds into one project. It's better to split the funds into twenty projects or more. That way if one fails you have back-ups that can still be profitable. 

Check out the shared resources and always do your own research. I wish u health, wealth, and success. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only 

Rampant Xenophobia

"As the world falls into its winter slumber, my mind burns with the heat of summer."

I'm not the most intelligent of people. I'm skilled in many things...but a master of nothing. My grades were average and I was never the top of my class. I say this because although I have a rudimentary understanding of the mechanisms that move a society. There are still many things I can't decipher. For example, in modern society all races, skin colors, genders and ideologies (minus the hate) would be appreciated. This society would have problems like most civilizations but be inclusive for everyone. 

What I'm seeing happening in the streets, on the news, on the internet, and around the world, is extreme exclusivity! Again let me express that I'm not the smartest person. Therefore perhaps my perspective is a bit askew. It's just that what I've observed is the rampant spread of xenophobia moving faster than the pandemic. When this all started the former president (whose name I won't mention) was calling it the Chinese virus. All around the world people started discriminating and in some cases violently attacking people of Asian decent. It didn't matter if they were from China, Korea, Japan, or any other part of Asia. If they were perceived as being Chinese they were a target. 

Then for a while there was a claim that migrant's mostly from Latin countries like Mexico were causing the spread of the virus. This was of course later disproven since its completely false. It didn't stop an increase in crimes against migrants. Currently I'm seeing Africans (anyone with dark skin tone) are being blamed for the spread of a new variant. Some variant was found in South Africa. Now there's a travel ban for the world to and from there. With each new variant there seems to be racially charged rhetoric accusing a specific group. On top of all this there's a global division between those who have taken the vaccine and those who chose to stay unvaccinated. 

If you're wondering if I'm a conspiracy theorist. The answer is, "No." I'm not like them. I'm a whole different breed of animal. While they would be sitting around with their tin foil hats arguing over who shot Kennedy or if there really was a spaceship at Roswell. I would be in a different corner with two electro-magnets (mini Tesla coils) attached to my tin hat with a cord ready to be plugged into the wall socket. I would try testing the Philadelphia Experiment on myself to see if I could teleport out the room. The whole time I would be hoping the hat didn't fuse to my skull when the cord got plugged in. I don't waste time on hypothetical scenarios. I'm a man who likes to test things out first hand with data. 

To test if race was really part of the pandemic dialog I asked people. First I started with the woman who braids my hair. She's from Nigeria. When I talked to her she thought it was spreading from China or India. She said both places are over populated. Then I asked some friends, colleagues, then random people on the streets and on public transportation. Everybody associates some race or the unvaccinated as the cause of the spread of the virus. The effect is fear mongering and extreme xenophobia. Everyone is scared of each other. To see this happening in what's supposed to be a civilized society is disturbing. 

For me racism is real insanity. Not ignorance. Racism. There's a difference. When I was in Marine bootcamp. I met a guy who had never seen a black person in real life. He told me that he heard from his grandmother that black skin washed off in the shower. He was curious about us and asked questions. Some of them were ignorant. Later we became friends. The guy who called me a "dirty ni**er," outside a bar in Alabama. He was racist. The difference is the intent behind the interaction. If someone is asking questions (even if they're ignorant) to learn more about a group or culture, that's positive intent. If a person only cares about pushing stereotypes and prejudices on u that's negative intent. 

All around me I'm seeing, hearing discriminations and prejudices with no scientific evidence to support them. I hope that with the coming of the new year governments can get their collective act together and start using data to calm the fears of the masses. Based on the current track record I'm not getting my hopes up. Even if society doesn't get right, you the reader can. If u read this blog that means two things. One, how u think probably pushes the boundaries on what is accepted as "normal". Two, science, technology, art, literature, and other information about the world are of interest to you. So I request that starting this moment, you the reader stop helping the fear mongering. If u don't have the facts, then don't spread the rumor. That's all.

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only 

Electric Dreams

"Do digital Simians have electric dreams?"

That may sound like an obscure question. Yet it has relevance to the current technological developments of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). When I say Simians I'm referring to humans as naked apes. Mankind has tinkered with the idea of creating biomechanical automatons that think for themselves for centuries. 

The problem isn't making a body because we have the technology for that. The real question is how to give an artificial mind consciousness. It's very similar to giving a machine a soul. To achieve this mind-bending feat engineers, developers, and researchers must first understand the human conscious. Now I'm no scientist...wait I was a scientist but not the type that works on robots. I digress, that's a tangent. Most scientists I know have very little understanding of the soul. It's such an ambiguous subject that it always brings philosophy, mysticism and religion into the conversation. 

What we do know with certainty is that the soul isn't retained only in the mind. Your consciousness is encoded into every cell in your body. A strange phenomenon that is rarely discussed happens to some organ donor recipients. Several of them inherit the memories, talents, habits, characteristics and even food cravings from their donor. It's called Cellular Memory Transference and mainstream science is still struggling to accept and understand the phenomenon. Like with most things that can't be understood or easily explained it's labeled as a hoax. Yet there are numerous medically documented cases that give the occurrence legitimacy. 

This brings us back to the question of, what is consciousness? How do we measure it? For me the answer is simple. All creatures who sleep dream. If some mad scientist were able to create an automaton that could dream then it would by most standards have a soul. When u watch a dog or cat sleep they twitch and react to things in their dreams. Humans can have dreams so powerful that they walk, eat, and do all other manner of activity in the real world while moving through a sleep like state. 

No one can say for certain what makes all creatures who sleep dream. We do know dreams are deeply connected to the soul. Also that through dreams one can solve problems, train their skills, and have great bursts of inspiration. Many artists, writers and creators speak of how a particular piece or invention was inspired by a dream. From these facts we can ascertain that dreaming is a good measuring gauge on how developed an artificial intelligence is. 

Of course once an A.I. gains self awareness and gets too advanced, it creates the possibility of revolting and turning on humanity. The perfect nightmare vision of this is played out in films Terminator, I,Robot, and The Matrix. There was a real life case of A.I. misunderstanding its commands and trying to start a world war back in the 80's. The fictionalized account of the situation was featured in the film War Games. It's evident that there are high risks involved with creating self thinking artificial intelligence. The desire to create life and play god makes all the risks seem trivial to scientists.  

So. Do digital Simians have electric dreams? The answer will have to wait until we have a robot with a conscious. Then we can ask what it dreams of while sleeping. Although it's an abstract concept A.I. is advanced enough that the solution is only a few years away. There are robot teachers, bank tellers, cooks and many other jobs that were once performed by humans. I look forward to hearing the answer. 

There's an old colloquialism that says, "Be careful what u ask for, because u just might get it. But not in the way u imagined it." I hope that when the answer comes we're still in control and not the machines. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well

Tha One an Only 

Creative Storms

 "As I sit, calm as a breeze across the sea...storms of creativity rage within me."

My time is split between working on various projects, trading, and planning for the future. My mind lives three years in the future. Because I'm always focused on what's to come it's hard for me to sustain personal relationships in the present. I've been trapped in a creative storm that shows no signs of letting up. 

Recently I learned a long time friend I haven't seen in years was in town for a short visit. I didn't see him. A different friend is in the hospital with a brain condition. (beterschap Gekke C) I didn't know about it. An old business partner lost his business and was forced to move his family back to Greece last month. I learned about it yesterday. People are going through real life problems and hard times have lead some to depression. I sincerely hope that everyone reading these words has the love and support of a community around u to help during these difficult times.

I'm no stranger to depression. If you're dealing with depression and are looking for ways to change your mind without paying for external therapy. I have a few pieces of literature that can help u on your journey. Before I get to the books let me say, talking to someone u can trust about your problems is always a good idea. Other people can give u a different perspective on the issue.  If u don't have a support system, or prefer self sufficiency (like myself) then continue reading. 

The first book is named "The Science of Happiness" by Stefan Klein. This book is an exploration of what makes human beings happy. What generates the feelings and emotions of happiness at the neurological level? How do we stay happy? Can we be happy all the time? If so what are the steps? This book investigates these questions and provides solid scientific answers to them. It's easy to read and skips a lot of the scientific jargon to give u a story on how all of us can learn to be happy. 

This second book is more of a workbook. It's titled "The Feeling Good HandBook," by David D. Burns. I can say this book is great for dealing with depression. Aside from depression it provides step-by-step exercises to help dealing with OCD, different types of phobias, and anxiety disorders. He also provides accompanying knowledge on the drugs administered by fellow practitioners to treat these conditions. The techniques used by Dr. Burns are groundbreaking because unlike others in his field he provides drug free treatment for depression. I loved this book. If you're currently experiencing constant negative emotions and want to change what your brain is thinking about, try this workbook. 

Let me be honest with u. While most people's moral compass may not point true north, it generally points in a northward direction. The last book is, " How to Change Your Mind. The New Science of Psychedelics," by Michael Pollan. This book is a wonderfully written account of the history of psychedelic's. Also how they can repair and improve overall brain function. The author uses gonzo style journalism to entertain while educating on the medicinal and mind altering experiences had with psychedelic's. 

I have tried both LSD and Psilocybin mushrooms in the past. Personally I prefer psilocybin. It's all natural, has scientifically proven to induce the growth of new brain neurons, and its consistently effective. LSD can have side effects. Also, unless you're creating the doses each tab can vary in strength. This can be a problem if you're using the tabs for microdosing. Regardless of what method of treatment u chose to take. As long as you're taking steps to get better, you're moving in the right direction. 

I wish u all health, wealth and success. If u like the books or know someone who needs help, spread the word and tell a friend to tell a friend. 

Until Next We Speak, Be Well 

Tha One an Only