Mel Hopkins

@Cynique thank you for sharing! I had to go and find the app - to give myself a tickle. BTW, If I meet this man, I'm running in the opposite direction.

@Cynique this is what I experienced when my body died briefly. I mentioned here before that I returned to THE ONE MIND where we all shared one thought (or the same thoughts ) It was only when I individuated and separated with thought of needing to return to this dimension that I was jettisoned back with the speed of light. I believe when we individuate with our thoughts and mind that is how THE ONE MIND expands - and when we seek peace - we return to THE ONE newly expanded MIND. By the way, I believe we do read each other's mind. When we shut down the "I" we can hear each other clearly.

@Delano I just finished writing something similar to someone! I was sharing with him how the words will help people make the change. Or as I said, "people will get used to the concept if they see the words as I've written them. " Thank you for co-sign. even if you didn't know it

Thank you, @Cynique ! You've spoken like a true Magus. I also believe we have everything we need. We just have to "see".

This right here is helpful @CDBurns ! And when ever you get a chance to map and share the process -that would be helpful too! Thank you!

YES!!! I subscribe to this theory too! In fact, I've written someone very similar! "Observations are not conclusions." !!!

Your sentiment is beautiful, Zaji. Goddess level. I'm so at home in words but words have imprisoned me , as they have so many others like you've stated. There's a reason for "you have the right to be silent". It frees us from self-incrimination. Speaking of Goddess. Dr. Leonard Shlain shared how words imprisoned the Feminine in his groundbreaking book "Alphabet and the Goddess" : The conflict between word and image. I think in images. It's our birthright. Unfortunately. I can't draw a lick. Still I need to find a way to express myself visually - it's time I rid myself of the rest of these shackles. .

I've noticed these discussions seem to get stuck on etymology, connotation, and or denotation of words that we use. I find it fascinating that our conversations continue to take this turn especially on this is literary website. Maybe there's a message in our musings. I'm not sure what is but like earth wind and fire sings: "Watch for the signs That lead in the right direction Not to heed them is a bad reflection They'll show you the way Into what you have been seeking To ignore them you're only cheating..."

LOL! @Pioneer1 Zaji 's words have a different vibration than your composites. If she's is in your world - I would be really surprised.(and few things surprise me) Zaji seems to vibrate as a scientist and seems to be fluid. I do find it interesting that your ideas resonate with her... I feel there's a connection to you but it's more like a test subject because your words and ideas are familiar to her at another level. Maybe another dimension or plane? In fact, I feel like she's studying all of us - I feel that's her nature. But like I said, these are just feelings.

@Delano, Yep! choice and freedom go hand and hand. Freedom, to me, means I'm exercising the right to act on my behalf. I have a sense of agency. If I'm only allowed to make decisions then someone is acting as an agent thereby usurping my freedom.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo - Yes, @Cynique . This just reminded me that five years ago I would chant every day. I was wondering what was different about my life then but I noticed a lot of things changing. I may have to revisit this practice.

@Delano As I mentioned my goal is NON-ATTACHMENT. Un-attachment is different. My comment to Troy, here, reveals out of sheer exhaustion to get him to see my perspective, and failing miserably, I stopped. Not detach but just stopped. Maybe stepping back gave me an opportunity to determine what I was actually debating. Was I fighting to defend President Obama's legacy? Or was I fighting to prove that life under President Obama was better. In debating the former, I'm offering a record which has nothing to do with me. If I was debating for the latter, it would be fighting to maintain the illusion that circumstances have to be a certain way for me to be happy. It could be but I'm no longer in that moment so I don't know. I'm not sure how this relates to your original comment here in the Calling all amateur psychiatrists thread, I responded here that I didn't think your assessment, characterization of Cynique not critiquing my comments was accurate. For clarification: I meant that maybe you don't notice that in my exchange with Cynique that I offer no resistance to Cynique's alleged critique or psychoanalyzing. I believe that she can "see" what I'm attached to. So, I look within then respond. Maybe, it's me who responds differently to Cynique than I do with the others. I do agree with Cynique though CONTEXT matters.

@Pioneer1 et al,On February 16, 2018 PBS is airing the documentary Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire - PBS

@zaji Thank you for your presence!

Yes, Yes, Yes,! (I'm over here giggling -because I have to meditate on this All.The.Time. )

I believe it is well-documented that environment is factor in genetic mutation... the whole "Out of Africa" project details the mutation of the mitochondrial DNA to track how humans changed as they moved further away from the equator. Geneticist classify modern humans in haplogroups to mark our movements around the world - "race" is never mentioned in the study but rather they identify the change in genetic code. Also @zaji points out the initial testing, the Cambridge Reference Sequence came a European woman and worked it's way back to Africa. Not all mtDNA results are derived from that test. There are a few, one in use is the Yoruba mtDNA. For example, my results came from FamilytreeDNA and they use(d) revised (rCRS ) and RSRS (Reconstructed Sapiens Reference Sequence) The RSRS results are based on the mitochondrial Eve's ancient genome. As I've mentioned here before, according to my results my haplogroup L3 is from Ethiopia My halplogroup maternal ancestor was the progenitor of the Eurasian (European and Asian) haplogroup L, M, who left Africa. Today, they look different from Ancient Africans but that's due to their migration patterns. If they came from the first woman in my line, my maternal ancestor but left Africa this should stand to reason environment caused a mutation in their genetic code. This would be the same way environment caused my genetic code to become different from the original modern human woman, mitochondrial Eve. I'm still her descendant but my maternal ancestor's migration pattern caused my genes to mutate and for me to look different. Also there was a recent article on early human - the "cheddar" man who died about 10,000 years ago. But getting back to the thesis of this post, discussing what "race" is or isn't" is actually trying to make sense of mentally-ill babblings. We know there's no biological foundation for race. In the same respect, there's no scientific basis for culture either. Still I subscribe to what serves me - and that's doesn't mean I'm brainwashed - but rather I think certain mental illnesses can be contagious. Or borrowing Nietzsche phrase from Beyond Good and Evil - He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.

@Delano yes, that would be helpful.

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A rich source of melanin is beneficial to those who need to survive the effects of radiation. Some could ingest it because it's also found in fungi. Using melanin to determine "race" is a slippery slope. I rather not be someone's source of survival in an aftermath of a nuclear holocaust because I'm dark skin.

I dunno, @Del this assessment seems inaccurate. I admire @Cynique 's thought process and construction. So early on and now I would seek clarification or ask her to expand on a thought. Our exchange is psychoanalytic sans the resistance. And I appreciate that Cynique "sees" me. I appreciate our constructive exchanges. It's not a man vs woman thing. Anyone who finds constructive criticism challenging, usually struggles with attachment. Cynique has a gift of unmasking that thing we're attached to. Maybe that's why our conversations go unnoticed. I offer no resistance. I work to be fluid because I'd rather see if that thing is preventing me from achieving my goal of non-attachment.

@Troy I agree it would be better for the long term. In fact it would allow every independent book publisher, self-publisher of books for and/or by African-Americans to become a sustainable distribution network. Imagine #readingblack.com becoming a large independent book distribution network. In fact, if you or someone would show us how to track our books for sales, distribution and dispensing advertising fees we all in the blackbook eco-system could actually sell each other’s books too. Not only would each make money we will support true independent distribution network. 1- we'll have a mechanism to get an advertising fees for books we don't have to stock - and 2- we, independent publishers and self-publishers will have learned another piece of code that will allow us to track the books we sell through other websites. Btw, this comment also belongs in -->and it will definitely be welcomed in #readingblack.com Strategies <- and if you can help me understand this process will help readingblack.com become a distribution network.

@Cynique Would that be to maintain the wealth such as Jay Z mentions in his song "Family Feud"? Because even as a divorced mother who also has a baby daddy I can see how this is definitely a strategy if our goal is to maximize wealth in the black community. Jay Z even has Beyonce listed as songwriter on this track - so again the intellectual property money stays in the family. Nah, I can't see your statement as negative - I see it as strategic and adds to the motif of "focusing on culture to take us forward."

@Troy I agree it would be better for the long term. In fact it would allow every independent book publisher, self-publisher of books for and/or by African-Americans to become a sustainable distribution network. Imagine #readingblack.com becoming a large independent book distribution network. In fact, if you or someone would show us how to track our books for sales, distribution and dispensing advertising fees we all in the blackbook eco-system could actually sell each other’s books too. Not only would each make money we will support true independent distribution network. 1- we'll have a mechanism to get an advertising fees for books we don't have to stock - and 2- we, independent publishers and self-publishers will have learned another piece of code that will allow us to track the books we sell through other websites. Btw, this comment also belongs in and it will definitely be welcomed in #readingblack.com Strategies

Yes! I would gladly host and participate in this discussion because damn, lawd knows these "yellow shirt" hating folks spend an inordinate amount time figuring out ways to harm us and take our "lunch, and lunch money" !!!

@Troy , I attempted to update my about me section on my profile and it returned an error. Itwon't update. Also I used the promotion tool on one of my discussion posts - and it also returned an error - it used to work but now there's a bug. Ok enough of the housekeeping. Is there a way we could save the books we'd like to purchase to our profile? Also on the books for purchase - do you get credit if I purchase the book from amazon? I rather purchase books directly from the authors' or their publishing companies. I know you were working on a way to get advertising fees for books sold through aalbc from author/publishing company's websites - have you decided on a plan (that is easy for us lowtech folks) ?