Existence, and the concept of existence is fundamental to human evolution and development. Not only does it permeate itself in the cells and vessels of the human body as the signature of life, but transcends beyond that into the delicate space between physical presence and the abstract essence of living. It is the force that drives the ebb and flow of energies that carry with it creation and destruction in the same relentless flame. Despite the infinite aspirations of existence, despite its ability to timelessly evade containment, it inevitably rises from the relationship between humans and nature. The way nature builds itself, in turn, becomes a mechanism in which existence manipulates reality, and if carefully studied, can be manipulated for very specific purposes. Herein lies the quandary of power. Accessing, monopolizing, and influencing resources enable people to turn the knobs on the pressure cooker of existence. Releasing it when they deem suitable and suffocating its brilliance at other times. The tools in which existence can be dissected and recreated are usually limited to those means in which the human mind can easily be subsumed in the process. At times this attachment takes place through the creation of artificial yet substantial lifelines, such as religion or science, and at other times this incestuous assault depends on controlling the most basic needs for humans: water, food, technology, and other prerequisites for a humane existence. Politics, capital, knowledge, and ideology have set themselves apart from other social constructs as being the most effective methods of hijacking existence. They are at the furthest point from nature. shakomakoNET attempts, in this section, to cover topics that might seem to be clumped together with no apparent connection to bind them. We feel, however, that the state of mind in which you are reading these words, your relationship with your mother, the price of milk, the conversation that takes place between your conscience and you, your aspirations, your fears, poverty, class, oppression, your favorite color, the fact that some see zippers instead of laces, are all elements in the reaction of existence. These and everything that is anything is an edge, a curve, a layer, or a bump in the route taken to move us away from existence, and into a state of being that can be easily manipulated and exploited. Enjoy articles, interviews, and features on this treacherous journey, and make the connections yourself.