yeah..because my god can kick your god's ass..
and fuck ishmael and his lineage..
silly muslims.

Halfway through "Ishmael" - a good friend fussed over it, but it still hasn't really grabbed me.

Reading "Influence" by Cialdini that somebody here recommended, and I'm surprised at how interesting it is. I never would have picked that out on my own.

Have a small pile of others that I slog through on the side.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, c'mon, uh, to the westside, yeah, c'mon, to the
eastside,
c'mon c'mon, to the northside, yeah Fat Joe in the house, to the
southside,
Whiz
One in the house, to my man Showbiz in the house, huh, aiiiyo bust
it...
Ya see I skip to my loo like Napolean at Waterloo
My name is Diamond D, tell ya what I'm gonna do
I dip and I dab like a Mike Tyson jab
Even though there's flab I possess the gift of gab
I shoot it like a jammy-in
Girls, get the panty-ins
Even wit a fanny and I might win a Grammy-in
Maybe I won't so I'll chill like the pope
See I'll neva mope 'cause ya know my shit is dope
Like Columbian fish scale, ask my man Ishmael
(Diamond D got props like a cop) aaahhhh
Or betta yet DT 'cause brothas can't see me
Even ya girl says ya got a small wee wee
Now ya wanna go upside her head (What you talkin bout!!!)
Then you feel intimidated by the things she said (Yo chill!!)
Don't worry bout it 'cause I paid her back, (you know I)
Took her to the rest then I laid her back
I go on and on like popcorn
Wit da butter, aiiiyaayyaayyayo
I used to stutter
But I fall on track-in, some may say I'm wack-in
Fact, but in fact, I'm not any of that black
See I'm the best kept secret
So shut da fuck up and peep it

Cock d, ***trees in forests???***
Rapper tries ta 'cause I crush da muthafucka!!

Yeah, 'cause I'm the best kept secret
So shut the fuck up and peep it
Ya see I write my own rhymes, produce my own shit
Yeah boy, I ain't the one ta fuck wit (nope)
I'll take a beat and I'll flip it
Wit so much flava, niggaz wanna sip it
But that's cool 'cause they know I got skills
Let me demonstrate I you will, ahem
Rock is my man and
So is Dapper Dan and
I'll shake a hand and
Don't try ta flam
Or front like a stunt who wants the cunt
I only hit grand slams, neva will I bunt
Bases are loaded, bottom of the ninth
I step to the plate 'cause I know my shit is great
I can't walk down a street
(Aiiyo Diamond, can you make me a beat)
Ya gotta have cheese
About a couple o' g's, huh
But if I know ya, I might just throw ya
A li'l somethin on the side troop
A funky bass line and a hype loop
I got a thousand old records in my crib
I used to hustle but I neva did a bid
Some people call me Jo Jo
I keep a low pro
Non-stop props, so act like you know bro
Pass me a mic and I'mma keep it
Yeah boy, I'm the best kept secret

Yo, I'm deadlier than Michael Myers
My style will embrace you like a pair of pliers
But don't sweat it G, why don't'cha let it be
'Cause Diamond D is a pedigree
In other words I'm official
I neva go out like a wet piece of tissue
Ruff and rugged
Stronger than Bounty
New York is the city, Bronx is the county
Learn from the best so the rest just fest
Now I'm gettin booked at the Philmore West
Or either in the village so kill it skillet
Ya ask ya'self
Will it eva cease?
'Cause Diamond's sharp as a crease
I only use bees wax, I'll neva use grease
On my dreads but instead if you want some kicks
Step to the mic I'm an 8 to 1 pick
You reap what you sow and I can reap it
Yo I'm the best kept secret

A friend recommended Ishmael to me back in the late 1990's, so maybe I should check it out.

I think we are on the verge of a social evolution.

I think the internet has helped to bring it about.

I really enjoyed Daniel Quinn's books. Particularly Ishmael, My Ishmael, and the Story of B.

choggie

Firstly - I agree with almost everything said by Jewish Voice for Peace (http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org) - see the first comment of my previous post: http://www.videosift.com/video/Jews-Who-Oppose-Israeli-Violations-of-Human-Rights

Of critical importance is that Jerusalem should "be shared in a manner that reflects its spiritual, economic, and political importance to both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as to all Jews, Muslims and Christians." I don't feel that any one faith has a better claim on Jerusalem than any other. This is because all the faiths stem from the same Abrahamic tradition, and Jerusalem is one of the two great cities of Abraham. The other is Mecca.

I also feel the same way about Mecca - I don't believe that it should only be for Muslims. In the West people are more acquainted with the story of Abraham's younger son Isaac, and the origins of the city of Jerusalem. The story of Abraham's oldest son Ishmael, and the origins of Mecca are less well known. From Genesis we learn that when Isaac was born, his mother Sarah insisted that Abraham's oldest son Ishmael and his mother Hagar should no longer live with them. Abraham was reluctant to do this, but the book of Genesis tells us that God told Abraham to follow Sarah's wishes and He would look after Ishmael. We are then told that Hagar took her son into the wilderness of Paran (to the south). Later, Ishmael and Hagar were passing through the valley of Baca. They were dying of thirst - but this did not reduce their trust and faith in God. Seeing this, God rewarded them by causing a spring to gush forth from the barren land. In Genesis we read that 'God heard the voice of the lad' crying out for water as he lay in the sand. But then God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well of water. We also read about this in Psalm 84, verses 5-6, where it says: "Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee, in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well." So we know where the miracle happened: the valley of Baca - Bakkah in Arabic. Bakkah is the old Arabic name for Mecca - Makkah in Arabic. The spring came to be known as Zamzam and it became a place of pilgrimage because of the miracle that occured there. A sanctuary was established there by Ishmael and Abraham - known as the Ka'ba.

The Ka'ba was the first sanctuary of the Abrahamic tradition, and it predates the Temple of Jerusalem by about a thousand years. Jews went on pilgrimage to the tabernacle in Mecca for over a thousand years. It was only after the sanctuary became polluted with pagan idols that they stopped coming. Christians also went on pilgrimage to Mecca. When Muhammad entered the Ka'ba sanctuary to destroy the pagan idols - the only idol he did not destroy was a statue of the virgin Mary and baby Jesus which had been left by Christian pilgrims.

Since Jews, Christians and Muslims all trace their faith back to Abraham (and ultimately God) then they should all have equal access to the cities of Abraham.

But this is just my opinion - and one that some people are bound to disagree with!