theworsthorse.net: horsefeed

Just posted a new article for you all: The Owls Are Not What They Seem: The Dharma of Twin Peaks’ Dale Cooper.

Just go to TheWorstHorse’s homepage, here.

New on The Worst Horse’s homepage:

* The “gold plated Buddhist cell phone for monks”

* What happens when you cross the Buddha with the Michelin man?

* The mighty band Mission of Burma to play Boston-area show for — what else? — Burma!

* Cool: cartoonist Joe Matt is a Buddhist

* Noah Levine’s Falling Fruit interview: brought to you in part by The Worst Horse

* Rapping monks, nuns hit the catwalk to promote Buddhism

* DharmaCrafts’ Dyan Eagles on BusinessWeek.com

* NY Times: “Mindful” scrubbing and vacuuming

* Guardian (UK): Buddhist retreat for caregivers

* Dalai Lama to invade China? Well, in Chris Elliott’s mind, he is.

* “Courtney Love: Chanting Buddhist” (via Huffington Post)

Check it all on http://theworsthorse.net

Here our latest Buddhism-inspired tattoos, sent as always by a reader:

Hi, I’m Gary from the UK and I noticed the features you have as regarding tattoos relating to Buddhism.

I have two so far, one on either bicep. On my left arm I have what is basically a half sleeve Koi, representing the courage to battle adversity and to attain one’s goals against the flow of the tide, so to speak.

On my right arm I have an image of Samantabhadra, the Bodhisattva of Practice and compassion.

Both provide a certain inspiration and reminder of fundamental values that many of us implement each day.

Koi done by Jerry at Positive Vibrations, Albufeira, Portugal (six hour sitting)

Samantabhadra done by Sjef (www.chefdetattoo.nl),

Dig this crazy Thai lightbulb commercial, which plays upon Thailand’s rich (and often Buddhism-informed) ghost folklore.

You can also read a little more about Thailand’s relation to ghosts here, and here.

Thought we’d share this video interview with Ethan Nichtern, which is described by its makers thusly:

Inspiring interview with Ethan Nichtern, Founder and Director of The Interdependence Project (The ID Project) in New York City and author of the new book “One City: A Declaration of Interdependence”. This is a fascinating and personal discussion of Nichtern’s key idea of interdependence as well as an enlightening conversation about Eastern ideas in general, such as Buddhism and meditation. Nichtern talks about how there is a strong current desire worldwide for a new social consciousness that properly balances inner peace and illumination with informed social engagement and responsibility. …

New on The Worst Horse: an interview with Dharma-musician Ravenna Michalsen, who’s just self-released her 2nd CD. The interview includes two mp3s, which you can download, or just click and listen to them while you read the lyrics (or the rest of the interview).

Just go to our homepage: http://theworsthorse.net

Well, tonight’s penultimate episode of I Love New York 2 was filled, typically, with intrigue, backbiting, and ludicrous boob-shots. There were also, of course, many great quotes about “Buddha.” No, “New York” (left) wasn’t talking about The Awakened One. She was talking about her would-be suitor, one of three left — actually, two, as of the end of tonight’s show.

We’ve been sharing all the Buddha-talk with you, so that you can enjoy all their cognitively dissonant glory. Here are just some of tonight’s quotes. (Couldn’t get them all — they came faster than they could be written down!)

* “Buddha’s being really flirty with me.”

* “Buddha, will you escort me back to my hotel?”

* [New York's mom:] “I’m so upset that Buddha’s one step closer to winning New York’s heart.” And, later: “Buddha? Believe this: he will never be my son-in-law.”

* [Fellow would-be suitor "Punk," complaining about Buddha's duplicity:] “I just really need to make New York see the light about Buddha, ’cause it’s really getting out of hand right now.”

* [New York, having realized the truth about Buddha's duplicity:] “Buddha is a fool and an asshole — he’s lying.”

* Fellow would-be suitor “Tailor-Made” agreed: “Buddha is arrogant, dangerous, fake, and manipulative.”

But in the end, New York couldn’t bring herself to give Buddha the boot. As she told him, “Buddha, you’re sexy as hell — you dominate me, and you keep me in check.”

So poor “Punk” was sent packing, and New York, Tailor-Made, and Buddha headed off to Jamaica for some final-episode insanity. (It airs this Wednesday night.)

I’d wager that when they touched down, the locals all wondered one thing: What are these maniacs smoking?

Reader Tom Armstrong sent in the following note:

[Here are] a couple sets of “Separated at Re-birth” candidates. I’ve held onto these for awhile thinking they weren’t good enough. While, certainly, they don’t rate with some of your AMAZING pairs, they don’t seem too bad to me today.

We took the photos he sent and worked them up into the standard SaR style. Here’s the first. (The second is in the post below.)

What do you think?

Tom A. also sent this one. Do you see it?

Sometimes it’s great when Dharma and pop-culture collide — like mixing peanut butter and chocolate.

This is one of those times.

This one’s brand new, with thanks to reader Andrew C for the tip:

Andrew writes:

Friends,

I just saw your terrific “Separated at Re-birth” feature, and it called to mind something from some years back. When my daughter was younger, she watched a show called “Hey Arnold”, in which one of the characters, the Grandpa, bore a striking resemblance to Daido Loori, who I had known at the Zen Center of L.A. Every time I saw the show, it cracked me up.

…never saw the show, but the match here cracked us up, too. Thanks for that, Andrew.

Enjoy more cheap “Separated at Re-birth” laughs here and here.