TheWorstHorse.net's blog

Burma is important. / Cheers and jeers for Economist.com

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:04:29 -0700

All.we've just launched the Burma is important Project. Hope you'll check it out, and participate.

Also about Burma, kind of -- check this out:

It would seem that The Economist would have some of the best coverage going. (And if they don't, I'm not sure whose is better.) To the right is the cover of their current issue.

Well done, Economist.

...On the other hand, on a recent visit to their website, I was met with what has got to be one of the stupidest graphic judgment-calls that I've seen in a long time.

You're almost sure to wince.

Theeconomist-burma-sept07-withballoon

This little marketing request appeared over a reproduction of the cover on the homepage.

Come on.

On The Economist's webpage???

I haven't seen it again.

I really hope it was a hack.

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In case you missed Dalai Obama Lama:

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:11:27 -0700

Homebanner-daliobamalama-fall07

This was the homepage banner for a lot less longer than was desired or planned. It actually linked to a particular new Drive-Thru Dharma-Burger. (You can see that here.)

Well, sorry to dump you, D.O.L.

But Burma is more important.

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It is.

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:03:53 -0700

Burmaisimportantfirst-crop

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Dharma-Burger! (Oh yeah, you'd better order at least hundred.)

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:41:13 -0700

Dali-obama-lama-pin-sept07

Thanks yet again to blogger, friend, and excellent contributor Konchog Norbu, who sent on this Cafe Press item, the "Dali Obama Lama" pin.

YES! DALI OBAMA LAMA! HE'S GOING STRAIGHT TO THE WHITE HOUSE!

D.O.L.! D.O.L.! D.O.L.!

(This message has been paid for and approved by Worst Horses for Dali Obama Lama for President.)

As Konchog Norbu says:

Oh lord, Horsie,

You just have to see this one to believe it. Even spelled wrong...

Yep: they spelled "Dalai" wrong. Heck, they didn't even spell "Dali" right! ...Love it.

See our homepage for an exclusive, hi-tech artist's rendering of good old D.O.L.

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Body vows: "OM MANI PADME HUM"

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:55:02 -0700

Aleathia-bodyvow-sept07

Thanks to reader Aleathia, who sent this gorgeous shot of a dharma tattoo she got.

She writes:

I had wanted this tattoo for 10 years, had thought of it often. I took vows 10 years ago but in the last 5 years my practice has slipped after the birth of a child. So, I got this on my left knee and an OM on the right knee. They are both in spots where my hands rest for meditation. It is in spot that reminds me to practice more often.

Thanks, Aleathia. Looks like it was worth the wait.

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Dharmaglyph: "Puerto Vallarta Buddha Mural at Twilight"

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:31:53 -0700

Puerto Vallarta Buddha Mural at Twilight

Originally uploaded by Wonderlane

A mural mixing Mexican and Tibetan Buddhist iconography on a rooftop in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, completed Jan 1, 2007. As a mixed image I did not paint strictly speaking an image of Vajrasattva, but Tibetan iconography with Mexican and internation icons in my own style.

It was painted as a present for the friends I stayed with there - Rossy and Ariel.

Fly me round trip from Seattle to Puerto Vallarta I would very much enjoy creating and painting more murals there.

This shot was taken at Dusk so that the entire image can be seen without shadows. It's approximately 7 ft by 7 ft square. It was painted on concrete. It is on the back of the enclosed staircase. Took a little over 3 days to paint - totally on the fly - no preliminary drawings - just started painting.

To the right of the skulls you will see a skeleton of my friend's dog, Breda.

Ariel is a homegrown biologist - his company is "Wild Travellers" - eco-tourguide, and conservationist of endangered species of turtles. He was voted the best tourguide by tourists in North Vallarta.

As Rossy does not own a good sized Buddhist statue this stands in for her shrine.

"Rotoplas" on the black plastic container stands for the manufacturing technique - rotational plastic - it's a water filter and storage device - a cistern.

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"Temporary Monks"

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:27:34 -0700

Temporary Monks
Originally uploaded by Justin Mott

[Found this shot and just loved it. Here's what the photog writes:]

Only about a kilometer from one of the most visited temples in the world of Angkor Wat lies Wat Ang Kea Sa. Wat Ang Kea Sa is one of many monasteries in predominately Buddhist Cambodia with a thriving population of young men. Over one hundred Bodhisattva (The one striving for Enlightenment) monks study the Pali language (the language of Theravada Buddhism) here while also studying the international language of English. They split their study time towards the path to enlightenment with the path to a career in their post-monk hood world. After a few years of living in the pagoda many of these men look to enter the tourism workforce thriving in Siem Reap. Speaking another language is a must in order to land a decent paying job at one of the many new four and five star hotels popping up. Alongside their traditional orange robes they reveal a somewhat non-traditional view of tattooed arms with cell phones clipped to their robes and a partially divided life they will live. While Buddhism will probably play a prominent role in their future lives, their time at the pagoda and their time in the robes is short lived.

Uploaded by Justin Mott on 15 Sep 06, 12.15PM EDT.

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Survivor China: Dharma-Burgers, buffet-style?

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:29:56 -0700

Survivor-gong

Want the absolute very first pop-/Dharma run-down on the premiere of Survivor China?

Check out the Horse -- right here! -- to see it.

...it was posted just relative moments after the show ended.

Weigh in!

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Survivor China...

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:58:10 -0700

...looks like it may be a feast of Dharma-Burgers.

See the preview here.

It's starting just about now. You know I'm watchin'.

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Dharma-Burger? Yoga-Burger? Either way, it IS "very zen."*

nobody@vox.com(theworsthorse.net) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:52:17 -0700

Zentarget-yogaburger2

Zentarget-yogaburger1

Thanks to reader Elizabeth H, who sent on a scan of a new mailing from mega-retailer Target. (Or, as you know you call it, Tarjay.)

She writes:

Target included this in a recent mailing. If shopping from home is what it's all about, I don't guess I'm ready for enlightenment yet. I love reading the Horse.
Bows, or _/|\_

Thanks, Elizabeth, and _/|\_ to you, too.

...Funny thing about this one: when it first came thru via email, the image was so big that we didn't see the little "very zen"* headline -- we just saw the big yoga practitioner. Which led us to ask: Is this a Dharma-Burger? Or is it maybe a Yoga-Burger?

I've wondered for a while whether or not the Horse wanted to get into the business of documenting Yoga-Burgers. Dharma-Burgers may be popping up in the most surprising places, but Yoga-Burgers? They're EVERYWHERE. ...I'd never be able to leave the house!

So I'm not sure if we'll be including them. I want to stay on point, as it were. But if you guys send stuff that's on the line, it'll likely make the cut, just as this one did.

In the meantime, thanks to you all... and don't forget to keep your mind, body, and budget balanced.

(Ecccch.)

* As if the word "Zen" hadn't been co-opted beyond belief already -- notice how it appears in lower-case in this ad? The Horse predicts that we'll all be seeing a lot more of that kind of thing...

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