The seven levels of rapper

(duplee)

(blustre) Great songs by bad artists?

The 7 Levels of Rappers | REACTION MASHUP

(gozman) Drake on Iceman diss

The biggest meme in rap: Drake

• VIDEO: Kendrick Lamar in Los Angeles: Juneteenth
• US wanted 'Black Irish' slaves, too (Doherty)

BEST rap songs ever made? - Top 10 most streamed rap songs of all time

• Rapper of the Year: RAP goes too far: metal Ghostemane?

Lord Krishna versus the Buddha

(Buddha's Wisdom) Did the Buddha reject what Lord Krishna taught? The Bhagavad Gita ("God's Song") vs. the  Buddhist Path.

The dark Lord Krishna

Hinduism, which is not the same as the Old Vedic Religion we call Brahmanism, has three facets of God, which most take to be three different Gods: Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Sustainer, and Shiva the Destroyer. Krishna is not any of these, but like the Buddha, Jesus, and other good teachers, Krishna is regarded as an avatar or incarnation of Vishnu. Krishna ("The Dark One") is regarded as the "All-Attractive One," a blue and beautiful humanoid being who literally came to Earth and taught Arjuna and others, the most comely embodiment of Vishnu. Lord Krishna (which maybe should be spelled "Chrishna" or "Khrist" because of his similarity to Jesus in form and function within Hinduism)

Radha-Krishna, Kalighat

Krishna sure loved the milkmaids or gopis. One time he stole their clothes while they were bathing in the river. Some say his activities on earth make him seem more like an embodiment of the god Kama (Cupid, Eros, Lust) than Vishnu. His consort is Radha, and they are often combined into a unisex or united binary being: Radha Krishna, combining our innate masculine and feminine characteristics as humans, which the devas more freely express.

Radha-Krishna by M.V. Dhurandhar, 1915

Swedish girls can't fight (except this one)

(VoteSport) She looks like an angel, fights like a demon, and mauls people: Sweden's Smilla "The Hurricane" Sundell.

(The GOAT) The most violent Barbie in combat sports: Mona Kimura

Sucker Punch - Trailer #1: American Sucker Punch (2011 film)

The mind imagines its reality?

Sucker Punch is an American fantasy action film directed by Zack Snyder and co-written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya. It is Snyder's first film based on an original concept [6, 7]. The film stars Emily Browning as "Babydoll" (and another named "Sweet Pea"), young women who are committed to a mental institution. As Babydoll collects items she needs to escape, she enters a series of fantasy worlds where she and her fellow inmates are strong, experienced warriors. Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, and Oscar Isaac also star. (Who can explain it?) More

Babydoll: Does the end of this film even make sense, all a fantasy?

• Buddhism in Sweden
• Buddhism in Thailand
• What is Thai Boxing (Muay Thai)?

(Looper) Things we still don't understand about Sucker Punch

The Dodgers' hopes rest on Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Los Angeles is on edge and ready to riot if their team the beloved Dodgers fail to win Game 6. It's Devils' Night in WeHo (West Hollywood), home of the Halloween Carnivale, a night of LGBTQI+ revelry and possible debauchery, although this year they have shortened it by an hour so that it ends long before midnight, the Witching Hour. The keiki (children) are dodging cars on the suburban streets of the megalopolis as they run their culturally-approved shakedown for dopamine hits via sugary candies all across LA's 88 cities and countless neighborhoods.

The great Japanese pitcher will start Game 6, and with so much at stake, Dodger fans have to wonder if the stars are aligned. Avoid gambling. It's rigged. The fix is in. It's an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto's lifestyle IS NOT what you think!

(MLB Lifestyle) Oct. 25, 2025: From the bright lights of Tokyo to the star-studded streets of Hollywood, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s story goes far beyond the mound. This video uncovers how one of Japan’s greatest pitchers rose to global fame, conquered Major League Baseball expectations, and built a life worthy of the spotlight. Learn where his journey began, how he made history in Japan, and what makes his transition to the Dodgers so remarkable — all without giving away the twists that make his story unforgettable. 🎬 Watch until the end for a deeper look into the man behind the legend.

👇 Subscribe for more exclusive MLB lifestyle stories every week. #YoshinobuYamamoto #Dodgers #MLBLifestyle #BaseballJapan

• Dodgers Nation, Oct. 31, 2025; MLB Lifestyle; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Hiking far from the maddening crowd

Mindful Breathing, Four Elements

Sometimes it's enough. Sometimes one needs to get away, faraway, far from the maddening crowd, Dharma Bums in search of enlightenment. On return to the U.S., it's straight to Dharma Bum Temple in Southern California.

Imagine wandering in ancient India (Buddhist Emperor Ashoka's Great Bharat) in search of peace and a permanent end to ALL further suffering (disappointment, lack of fulfillment, ill, woe, misery).

Wandering like one lost, suddenly one is not lost. One is a wandering ascetic, a shramana (shaman), on a spiritual quest for stillness and wisdom (samadhi and panna). Going about from village to village in search of alms, like a deer that lists where it may, one stumbles on Thimmappana Betta Twin rocks.

• The ultimate origin of Sanskrit sramana (Buddhist Pali samaṇa) may be the Evenki language word сама̄н (samān) "shaman," possibly via Middle Chinese or Tocharian B; however, the etymology of this word, which is also found in other Tungusic languages, is controversial (see Shamanism § Etymology).
• A wandering ascetic (Buddhist monastic) has three pursuits: training in the higher virtue, higher thought, and higher insight. One must follow these pursuits keenly, otherwise, it is said, one's presence in the Buddha's Monastic Order (Sangha) will be like that of an ass in a herd of cattle (A.i.229).
• A samana (or shramana) is a person "who labors, toils, or exerts...for some higher or religious purpose" [1][2], "seeker, or ascetic, one who performs acts of austerity" [3][4][5][6]. The term in early Vedic literature is predominantly used as an epithet for seers (rishis) with reference to śrama associated with ritual exertion.
• The term in [pre-Hindu] Vedic (and subsequently Hindu) texts does not express non-Vedic connotations found in post-Vedic Buddhist and Jain canonical texts [7].
• During its later semantic development, the term came to refer to non-Brahmanical ascetic movements parallel to but separate from the old Vedic religion [4][5][8].
• The śramaṇa tradition includes Buddhism [10], Jainism [9], and others.
• In this Noble Sangha (attained spiritual community) four kinds of monastic are to be found: stream-enterers (sotāpannas), once-returners (sakadāgāmins), non-returners (anāgāmins), and full-enlightened ones (arahants). These are not to be found among the followers of other dharmas, contrary teachings (Samana Sutta, A.ii.238).
• The Samana Sutta (A.iv.340) covers the different names by which a Tathāgata ("Wayfarer," the word the Buddha chose in referring to himself) is known.
• (Descriptions derived from the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, Samana Sutta, by G. P. Malalasekera, Pali Text Society, London edited for Wisdom Quarterly by Dhr. Seven)

(All Trails) It's an easy hike to Thimmappana Betta Twin rocks in Ramanagara, Karnataka, India.

DIRECTIONS

The trail to Thimmappana Betta Twin rocks is only 0.6 miles long with a 91-foot elevation gain. It will take 30 to 60 minutes to arrive. The Twin Rocks near it are one of the popular tourist destinations in Kuttagallu.

Spectacular views make up the landscapes of this location, which are green with a bit of a rocky outcrop. Along with being green, this location is diverse as well and is home to various species of flora and fauna.

The trailhead rests by Bettada Kalyani at Kuttagallu and can be reached via various transportation options, such as taxi, cab, private vehicle, or foot.

TOP SIGHTS

Thimmappana Betta peak, Chakrateertha Pond. Twin Rocks. Expect some pesky mosquitos along the trail. It may even rain. It is not crowded. The best time to go is after summer and before monsoon season. Parking: Free, small lot. More

How shall we meditate when we get there?

Standing in the face of adversity

"Meditators, there are five types of warriors found existing in the world. What are these five?

"There is a warrior who, on seeing a cloud of dust [stirred up by an enemy army], falters, faints, does not steel oneself, cannot engage in battle. This is the first type of warrior found existing in the world. More

• SUTRA: How the Buddha's 'warriors' practice

Trump sells TikTok to Israel: IDF donor

Max Blumenthal exposes Jewish Zionist [IDF Operative] Larry Ellison on TJDS

• ‘No doubt they [Israel] will attack’: Max Blumenthal meets Iran’s president in NYC (The Grayzone)
• VIDEO: Larry 'TikTok' Ellison vetted Trump's Marco Rubio for Israel

(Kim Iversen) IDF (Israel militant largely Ashkenazi European Jewish military force) will benefit from Tik Tok now thanks to Trump. Was it a mistake, oversight, or strategic, threatening China until a deal most favored for surveillance and homeland spying could be brokered?

Sec'y of State gladhands Larry Ellison, 2020

Larry Ellison (born Aug. 17, 1944) is a pro-Israel IDF (Israel's genocidal state-sponsored militant arm) donor, Zionist Jewish American businessman, and entrepreneur who co-founded the software company Oracle Corporation. He is a major investor in Trump's Tik Tok deal, taking the company from China and selling it to Israel (via Ellison, who is possibly a dual citizen or an American with allegiance to the foreign state of Israel). Ellison was Oracle's chief executive officer from 1977 to 2014 and is now its chief technology officer and executive chairman. He is a centibillionaire and the second richest person in the world as of Sept. 2025 [2][3]. On Sept. 10, 2025, Ellison was briefly the wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $393 billion [4][5][6][7][8]. Ellison is also known for his ownership of 98 percent of Lānaʻi, the sixth-largest island in the Hawaiian Islands [9]. More

• Jimmy Dore (TJDS); Kim Iversen; Jon Stewart (The Daily Show); Eds., Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

(The Daily Show) The future of antisemitism

Epic Rap Battle Tour (live in Hollywood)

ERB TOUR 2025 WORLD TOUR

What is history? Who knows? Who has time to read? If only there were a way to learn about historical figures and events of significance through music and rap lyrics, like Hamilton, but with wit, humor, and bravado galore. If only. There are Epic Rap Battles on YouTube that concern themselves with history. Imagine seeing the battle LIVE.

Tickets on sale now. Thursday, June 12th, 2025: LIVE in West Hollywood, Los Angeles @ THE ROXY 9009 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. erbofhistory.com

WORLD TOUR DATES

• Thursday, June 19, CARDIFF @ CLWB IFOR BACH 11 Womanby Street, Cardiff
• Saturday, June 21, LONDON @ DINGWALLS 11 Camden Lock Pl, London
• Monday, June 23, PARIS @ POINT EPHEMERE 200 Quai de Valmy, Paris
• Wednesday, June 25, ANTWERP @ KAVKA ZAPPA August Leyweg 6, Antwerp
• Friday, June 27 EINDHOVEN @ EFFENAAR Poppodium Effenaar, Eindhoven
• Sunday, June 29 COLOGNE @ MTC CLUB Zülpicher Str. 10, Cologne
• Tuesday, July 1 BERLIN @ PRIVATCLUB Skalitzer Str. 85-86, Berlin
• Thursday, July 3 HAMBURG @ LOGO Grindelallee 5, Hamburg
• Saturday, July 5 AMSTERDAM @ BOOM CHICAGO Rozengracht 117, Amsterdam
• ERBofHistory.com, 2025; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

US wanted 'Black Irish' slaves, too

It's a real biological phenomenon? Ginger Black Irish people (animalia-life.club)

Black Irish? Negroid Celt (HubPages)

Oppression of Irish was not limited to England; many were exported to the United States, where we exploited them for labor, called them "black," and relegated them to the lowest rung on the ladder and right out of the melting pot (or mortar Lady Liberty used her pestle to pound everyone else into one big All-American mash). Is it possible we (the USA) had Irish chattel slaves a decade before exploiting pre-African Black natives (in addition to all of the Indigenous "Red" American slaves no one seems to know about, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States), and African imports?

Don't go beyond The Pale, a safe zone

In the United States, the term "Black Irish" was initially used in the 19th century as a pejorative to derogatorily describe Irish refugees of the Great Famine [1].

This came after the potato blight when England was exporting all the food on the Emerald Isle to feed themselves -- because ALL famines are, in fact, manmade disasters of fearful hoarding and consequent skyrocketing prices (The phenomenon of famine - PubMed).

It later shifted into a term used to describe people of Irish descent who have black or dark-colored hair, blue or dark eyes, or otherwise dark coloring [2, 3] as scientifically measured by scientists doing scientifical stuff.

• 

  US Black Irish just means American

  WHAT IS BLACK IRISH? The term refers to Black people who live in Ireland. But it is also a colloquial (common) term that refers to Caucasian people of Irish ancestry who have black hair—with noticeably black eyelashes and body hair may accompanied by pale skin and blue or green eyes, producing a particularly dramatic effect that is sometimes called "black Irish" like the American beauty Shannen Maria Doherty.

This meaning is not used in Ireland [1], where "Black Irish" more refers to Irish people of African descent [4].  The most common use of the term "Black Irish" is tied to the myth that they were descended from Spanish sailors [possibly during the Dark Ages when, according to British historian Bettany Hughes, Blacks ruled Europe until the Enlightenment] shipwrecked during the Spanish Armada of 1588 [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10].

Early Irish people were dark skinned with blue eyes – documentary (The Irish Times, 2021)

.

Shannen "Green Eyes" Doherty

However, no anthropological, historical, or genetic research yet supports this story. [Except perhaps the growing body of research, and that popular Discovery-like channel show, showing archeological/anthropological evidence that the first people in and around the Isle were Black, but perhaps that information is too new for Wiki to know anything about, even as it flooded mainstream U.S. media for a brief time.]

I was a movie star, too, not just 90210

Some theorists assert that the term was adopted in some cases by Irish Americans who wanted to conceal interracial unions with African Americans, paralleling the phrase "Black Dutch" which was also used in the United States to hide racial identity [11, 12, 13].

Likewise, the concept of "Black Irish" was also used by some Aboriginal Australians to racially pass themselves into Australian society [14]. In the earlier parts of the 19th century, "Black Irish" was sometimes used in the United States to describe biracial people of African and Irish descent [9, 10].

By the 20th century, "Black Irish" had become an identity played out by Irish-American authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Robert E. Howard. In 21st-century Ireland Black Irish is used primarily to refer to Irish nationals of African descent, and the alternative meaning is not commonly used. More

TRUTH about the Irish - First slaves brought to the Americas - Forgotten History

(FORGOTTEN HISTORY) Feb. 13, 2023: ✪ Members first on Feb. 9, 2023: Slavery is perhaps one of the oldest profit-making endeavors in human history, and the Irish islanders were a special target for a thousand years, persecuted by one faction or another, to include enslavement, status as serfs and servants, and indentured servitude. But were they the first slaves in the Americas? Find out here.  Written and hosted by Colin D. Heaton. The Forgotten History Channel is a 10th Legion Pictures Production. 

• SOURCES: Public Record Office, London Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Vol. 1, 1574-1660, published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1860.

Help support channel: Patreon page: forgottenhistorychannel. Check out merchandise store: fh-shop.fourthwall.com. Join channel to get access to perks: @forgottenhistorychannel.

ABOUT: Host, military historian, film consultant US Army and Marine Corps veteran Colin Heaton heatonlewisbooks.com. Screenwriter, director, producer, US Marine Corps veteran Michael Droberg michaeldroberg.com. Associated channel for sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, and film related topics: 10thlegionpictures (10thlegionpictures.com). #forgottenhistorychannel

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. #forgottenhistorychannel

What if you can't feed your slaves? A Modest Proposal

A Modest Proposal (full audiobook with rolling text) by Jonathan Swift How dare this mad Swift!

Interesting odd facts

It started with enslavement of St. Patrick - Don't call me Pete. It's mineral peat (coal). It's time to ban guns and Christianity or else. Who were the original "Aryans"? The Buddha's lineage comes from the region now called Iran (Ariyan), later called Persia, in the Buddha's time called the Middle Country (Majjhimadesa), referring to the Solar Race, as we read in Rhys Davids' translation of The Story of the Lineage (in his work Buddhist Birth Stories). Historian Dr. Ranajit Pal says the Buddha's mother was from Sistan-Baluchistan, now a region of Iran, and his father's family from Afghanistan (Kapilavastu, the capital cities one of which was Bamiyan, ancient Gandhara), Central Asia. The other country name related to Aryan is Ireland (Aryan-Land). Odd, no?

• Forgotten History, 2023; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Play main stage at Warped Tour '25

But we don't know how to become a band that can win! - Then watch this new doc about Led Zep

Forget just attending the show. Perform on the main stage like a boss at the show! How?

Get warped, Man, and wear Vans to skate.

While many punk rockers are excited about the resuscitated Vans Warped Tour returning this summer (2025), the touring festival’s highly anticipated comeback has spurred another iconic event to follow suit. Welcome back the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands for 2025!

Over the years, the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands has often provided emerging talent with a platform to further their careers and acts such as Nothing More, Mayday Parade, PVRIS, James Valentine, and others have benefitted from taking part in Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands competitions before finding greater fame.

Ernie Ball 'Battle of the Bands' returns

I would totally fall for someone in a band 💖

Tying in with the Vans Warped Tour’s return, the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands competition will be back for 2025 with one band eventually being selected to perform on the main stage of Vans Warped Tour at all three of the 2025 stops in Washington, D.C., Long Beach (Los Angeles/Orange County), and Orlando, Florida.

• 25 rock + metal bands you might not know but will in 2025, maybe even including your own Two Cents and the Shy Boy (or whatever dumb@$$ name you come up for yourselves)

And that's just the beginning of what the winner will receive. There are over $100,000 in prizes and the potential for a record label contract on the line.

Live Nation and Kevin Lyman envision new format. - Rolling Stone writes an article about it.

About the Prizes + Contract

You don't have to look like a dipsh*t, but it helps. Just ask Post or poseur Travis Kardashian.

.

FTW. Let's start a new life as hedonistic rockers

The 2025 Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands winner has an incredible prize pool for taking home top honors. Some of the items include:

• High-end guitar and bass gear from Ernie Ball, Ernie Ball Music Man, Sterling By Music Man, Marshall, Orange, Revv, Galien Krueger, and BOSS
• Top-tier drum equipment from SJC, Gibraltar, Zildjian, Vic Firth, Remo, and Humes & Berg
• Keyboard equipment from Roland and Korg
• Live and Studio equipment from Universal Audio, Electrovoice, Mackie, and Sennheiser
• A $1,000 Vans gift card for each main stage performer
• A feature in an episode of the Ernie Ball's Big Sound

In addition, one grand prize winner will have the chance to sign a record deal with EDGEOUT Records/Universal Music Group.

That’s a pretty great haul for an unsigned group looking for one of their first big breaks. If your band or you think you have what it takes, go ahead and sign up to compete for the Vans Warped Tour slot.

• ENTER: battleofthebands.com

Danger! It's all fun and games till someone gets hurt. - Kevin Lyman, who's going to be playing?

How to enter

Submissions are now open at battleofthebands.com and will run through May 1, 2025. A panel of industry pros will judge entries based on technique, creativity, originality, and entertainment value — but fan support matters, too!

I listen to so much music that I can create some.

Advice on winning

We're not that good yet, but we came up with this claptrap "Dazed and Confused" by not worrying

Man, why not me? I should just go for it.

Rally a [social media] crew, spread the word, and let the votes roll in! [What do those things mean? A) Tell your mom to tell her friends on Facebook. B) Listen to lots of eclectic, obscure, and popular bands for inspiration because YOU will be a blend of all of those. C) Imagine you're totally original, unique, and the Greek Gods' gift to the audience. How? If Ghostemane can believe in himself, then you can get delusional about your chances of stealing the spotlight for attention. It's as easy as ABC. It helps to be very troubled.]

• Chad Childers, Loudwire via MSN, Feb. 2025, Warped Tour Comeback Spurs Another Iconic Return; Seth Auberon, CC Liu, Sheldon S., Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

FILM REVIEW: Becoming Led Zeppelin

Becoming Led Zeppelin (Sony)

We saw it on an IMAX screen, sitting in the front row heads cranked up to take in the whole screen, for it to be in our faces and extra loud. And that it was. It's good, really good. It's no The Song Remains the Same, which is the first Led Zeppelin movie, a filmed concert at Madison Square Garden, New York, in the 1970s with the conceit of introducing them as legendary, bigger-than-life figures, particularly Page, who lived in a castle... More