From a new Huff Post interview with Mickey Hart (a “rhythm master” if ever there was one):

Mickey, what is an issue that’s bugging you?

Well, it’s about the rhythm of things. If you look around at the Gulf, North Korea, or Iran, it’s a rhythmic thing I see. We’re out of rhythm with the world. It’s a rhythmic universe, and nature is very efficient and likes to be in rhythm because it’s most efficient. When you break that rhythm and come between it, you have arrhythmic events and it will destroy, it will not build. It will decompose as opposed to compose. Saying the world has gone mad is not a proper way of saying it, but I look at it as the world has gone out of rhythm. If you look at it in rhythmic terms, it’s much more explainable. It’s gone out of rhythm, and we’re not in rhythm with it, and that’s the problem we have in all of these hot spots and these scary places with the Islamic militant views and the extremist religious views. All you have to do is tune into the Dalai Lama, who is about the opposite of that. Now, that’s a rhythm master. That guy is really in tune with things. So, we need to be listening to more of that, and we need to be thinking of things in terms of getting along in rhythm, and being efficient and flowing, and being more aware of our surroundings. When I look at the news, in total, that’s what I think of.

Read the rest of it here.

Coming in English on Sept 28:

A graphic novel on the life and personality of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will now be available in 10 languages in different parts of the world, an innovative, fun and colourful source of information which is expected to especially appeal to the children.

Japan’s renowned cartoonist Tetsu Saiwai, who wrote the original ‘The 14th Dalai Lama – A Manga Biography’ in graphic form, has plans to feature the life histories of many iconic personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa through his manga (Japanese graphic) art.

More details here.

Via Phayul.com:

Recently Keds — a unit of Kansas-based Collective Brands, Inc. and a mass-marketer of canvas-top — sneakers came out with a new line of sneakers called ‘Tibetan Buddhist Shoes’. These bear images of the Dalai Lama, the Buddha, holy mantras and other sacred images that Buddhist all over the world revere. Buddhists generally keep these images and scripts in temples, monasteries and on altars in their homes.

Keds’ commercial trumpets:
“Gorgeous shoes! They’re Keds, so they’re sturdy and comfy, yet they’re beautiful because of the images on them. How unique is this! A Tibetan Buddhist image in brilliant pinks, yellows, oranges and blues. Colorful and Beautiful!”

The last three words should read — Shameful and Disrespectful!

What do you think? More here.

Update: There’s a possibility these are an urban myth of sorts. If you have a pair — of these shoes, I mean! — send a photo so we know they’re real. They currently don’t seem to be on the Keds site and one diligent dharma-friend is looking into it for us all….

If you dig this blog, I think you’ll be interested to see my newest post for Shambhala SunSpace,  Stephen Prothero and the Dalai Lama: Just who’s “wrong” here?

Of course, I may very well be wrong about that.

Here, via TIME. Enjoy.

Shep Fairey — he of the ubiquitous Obama poster, the ubiquitous Obey Giant street-art campaign,  and countless other works, has now portrayed the Dalai Lama in this new portrait, Compassion.

You may recall that Fairey recently portrayed Aung San Suu Kyi as well.

Done to celebrate His Holiness’s 75th birthday, Compassion is available from Fairey’s website, and net proceeds will be split between Tibet House and LA Friends of Tibet. (The Dalai Lama’s birthday is on July 6.)

Of the piece, Fairey says:

“I’ve always had great admiration for His Holiness and his non-violent approach to the plight of the Tibetan people. When I was approached with the opportunity to work with this beautiful image as a sanctioned source and create a work that evokes the Dalai Lama’s presence as I feel it, I was thrilled. I hope His Holiness remains a presence of compassion in the world for many birthdays to come!”

Compassion goes on sale at “a random time” today, here. Only 500 will be available, so hurry. UPDATE: all 500 copies have already sold out as of early this afternoon.

Another small update: You might also like seeing this Burmese monk from the Obey archives.

Thanks to Born Infinite for the tip.

That’s right, folks, set your DVRs. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be on Larry King Live this coming Monday night. The LKL site says he will talk “about China, human rights and Haiti in his only interview after his controversial meeting with President Obama.”

And speaking of that meeting, the Dalai Lama yesterday described Obama as looking “like a monk… [he] had a peaceful, calm expression on his face.” …A nice thing to hear about one’s president, no?

See the website of the great Beautiful/Decay magazine. And let the Horse know what you think.

Hat tip to kin.

“Think different.” Or, don’t.

Via ComputerWorld: “Apple appears to have blocked iPhone applications related to the Dalai Lama in its China App Store, making it the latest U.S. technology company to censor its services in China. [...] At l

east five iPhone apps related to the Dalai Lama are unavailable in the China store. Some of those apps — named Dalai Quotes, Dalai Lama Quotes and Dalai Lama Prayerwheel — display inspirational quotes from the Tibetan spiritual leader. Another, Paging Dalai Lama, tells users where he is currently teaching. A fifth app, Nobel Laureates, contains information about Nobel Prize winners including the Dalai Lama.”

I can’t quite tell if the irreverence of this video makes it cringeworthy or awesome, but it certainly is begging to be seen — and, commented on.

For the story behind it, check AdGabber.