Haven’t seen it personally, but here’s the cover for (and an article about) “Tibetan Rock Dog,” a new graphic novel by a Chinese rock star.

Its story “unfolds in Tibet, where a Tibetan mastiff named Metal grows up in a Buddhist temple after his parents and siblings die protecting a peasant family. His grandfather, who learned the secrets of walking upright and speaking human language, trains him in canine meditation and teaches him about his ancient enemy, the Tibetan wolf. A rock musician on a pilgrimage adopts Metal as a son and takes him back to Beijing…. He forms a rock band with the friends he meets at obedience school.”

Two new articles on the Karmapa for y’all, one from the Times Online UK, and the other from the Houston Chronicle. A surprising mini-revelation leads off the latter one: “he likes to relax playing war games on his PlayStation.”

(Sorry, this was previously posted without the links. That’s now been fixed!)

Via NME.

Just a little end-of-year grab-bag-o-’Burgers for ya… (There may be more, but I doubt it; we’re expecting to be shoveling for two days straight in these parts.)

Reader Adam B. sends this one from L.A.: “I saw this in the supermarket today and thought it makes a perfect Dharma-Burger. Apparently nothing says ‘Nirvana’ more than a 50 gift certificate to Cost Plus World Market.”

Funny. (And what kind of name is “Cost Plus” anyhow? Oh, good. I get to pay more than it costs!)

We’ve covered a lot of iPhone apps here, but this one’s particularly cool: introducing the 99-cent Diamond Sutra for the iPhone app, with language support in English and Chinese.

Imagine going anywhere and having the Diamond Sutra (or whatever scripture or text you’re studying in your practice) in your pocket. This kind of use of technology is just so smart.

Expect to see a lot more of it.

Thanks to the always-great YogaDawg for sending this one (left):

“You might find this amusing.  Picked this up in a bar a couple of years ago in Charlottesville, VA.  I thought the inside [which says, 'find enlightenment now'] was pretty creative.”

(I tried to find a website for the BB, but all I found were a couple of references that made it sound notorious. Hmm.)

And while we’re talking Buddhism and “bikes,” check out this shirt, from Buddhacycle.com. Spiritual Materialist that I am, I’m gettin’ one.

Lastly: if you have a TV (and more power to you, maybe, if you don’t), you’ve likely heard about NBC’s coming show Superstars of Dance. It premieres Jan 4 and is worth a mention here — and maybe even worth watching — due to the fact that Shaolin monks are going to be in the competition. Shaolin monks know how to get down.

Thanks to regular reader/contributor Alan for alerting the Horse to this story (via the Telegraph.co.uk).

You’ve probably heard about the Dalai Lama’s statement that he may appoint the Karmapa to step in for him in the period between His Holiness’s death and the time that his reincarnated successor comes of age. The profile linked to above gets into details but one small detail in particular made the Horse smile: “The Karmapa, who visited the United States for the first time in May, said that he enjoyed rap music, but found it hard to dance in his monk’s robes.”

Who do you think he listens to?

(Thanks to the mighty, mighty JB for for the tip.)

The unstoppable Sam DeWitt writes:

“This is from this past weekend’s NY Times Magazine interview with Peter Sellars [the famous director of classical operas and more]:”

Book he’s read most: The “Vimalakirti Sutra” is this wild, avant-garde, comedic, Buddhist sutra that was revealed in the first century of our era. It is a radical democratization of Buddhism, and I am determined to stage it one day. I read it over and over.

Here’s the story – via BoingBoing (via Free Tibet 2008).

And here’s more, via Gawker.

Thanks to Kin for the tip(s).

Thanks to good friend Joe E., who sends this shot of the Russian Water Ballet team emulating the Thousands Hands Bodhisattva (Guanyin/Kuan Yin/Avalokitesvara/Chenrezig/etc.) at the Beijing Olympics:

(Via Sina.)

The always-good Guardian UK website has a review of sorts of Monkey, a new theatre piece from graphic artist Jamie Hewlett and musician Damon Albarn (of Blur, Gorillaz, and seeingly a dozen other projects, some quite successful, all quite adventurous).

The piece climaxes with what Hewlett describes as “fifteen lotus maidens in pyramid formation, some doing the splits and all spinning plates in front of the all-knowing Buddha… it’s bliss.”

Read the Guardian‘s review/interview here.